


A Small But Stubborn Fire

by RebelPaisley



Series: Pauper Chad [1]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Advice, Aggresive Confrontation, Attempted Roleplay, Ball, Bigotry & Prejudice, Bonding, Booknerd Chad, Bullying, Celebrations, Community Service, Complete, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossdressing, Cuddling, Drunken Proposition, Drunken Sexual Overtures, Drunkenness, Emotional Constipation, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enthusiastic Disrobing, Exploitation, F/F, F/M, Flexibility, Flirtatious Interrogation, Friendship, Hand Feeding, Humor, Illness, Isolated Chad, Low Self-Esteem, M/M, Minor Non-Physical Assault, Multi, No Beta we die like vikings, OT7, Pauper AU, People With Benefits, Pining, Polyamory, Poor Chad, Post-Descendants 3, Protective Harry, Referenced underage drinking, Romance, Seamstress Chad, Sexual Situations, Slash, Slut Shaming, Stress Breakdown, Truth or Dare, Well-intended Kidnapping, dance lessons, hangovers, mild dub-con, minor exhibitionism, necking, public arguments, walking in the rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:55:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 77,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23331259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelPaisley/pseuds/RebelPaisley
Summary: Chad was happy with his lot in life.  He had a job and a home, which was more than most people.  He didn’t need much else, but when he saw that the king was giving a ball, he thought it might be fun to have his own fairytale evening.  He did not account for Harry Hook, nor the chaos that would trickle into his once secluded but cozy life.Also known as:Harry, the forever contrary nuisance who accidentally hinders Chad’s attempt to do a nice thing to an almost admirable degree.Also, also known as:The Pauper AU that nobody asked for.
Relationships: Ben/Chad Charming/Jay/Mal/Gil/Harry Hook/Uma, Ben/Harry Hook, Ben/Jay (Disney: Descendants), Ben/Mal (Disney: Descendants), Chad Charming & Evie, Chad Charming/Gil, Chad Charming/Harry Hook, Chad Charming/Jay, Gil/Harry Hook, Gil/Harry Hook/Uma, Harry Hook/Jay, Harry Hook/Mal, Harry Hook/Uma, Jay/Mal (Disney)
Series: Pauper Chad [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677844
Comments: 138
Kudos: 124





	1. Not Quite a Fairytale Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started writing this story when my computer decided to temporarily crap out on me and eat some of my stories. I got them back, thankfully (minus 10,000 words and random nonsense that severely crippled some of my stories, the poor babies), but while my computer was in the shop, I kept myself occupied with this writing prompt. 
> 
> While I am completely biased, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out :)

Realistically, Chad knew he had no right to be here. Fancy balls were for royalty and the upper-class, for people in shimmering, exquisite gowns and expensive suits like the ones Chad tailored in the back of Eudora’s Alterations shop - not for nobody’s like him who pieced together their suit out of scraps that had been abandoned by their owners. _But_ , this particular ball had been declared open to all to celebrate the destruction of the barrier around the Isle of the Lost, and Chad had been too tempted to pass on the opportunity altogether. He knew his father would prefer for Chad to stay tucked in their cozy cabin on the outskirts of Auradon city until the day he died, but Chad wanted to see _more_ of the world than the small corner of the town he was allowed in, more than the Alterations shop and the grocery store and his books could give him. 

Like every other teen searching for adventure, he wanted to experience a real _ball_ , to get to know the Isle children that had been trapped behind the barrier for so long and to - well, he blushed even thinking about it, but it would be nice to meet _someone_. Just- someone to share a dance with. Chad had been practicing, watching the old movies his father had left him and reviewing the books. He’d even asked Mr. Marius, the manager of the alterations shop, to give him a few pointers, who’d agreed after laughing at Chad’s ‘boyish fancy’. He supposed it was silly, but he wanted to do his best. It would, after all, be the first time he’d intermingle with people his own age. He wanted to make a good first impression. 

Like all the other commoners, Chad entered Auradon castle through the side door, trying not to gape at the stunning architecture he’d only ever seen in books and magazines. He was able to find a safe spot by a column to watch the attending royals be announced from the grand staircase to make their dramatic entrance. Lord Adam and Lady Belle were dignified creatures of old royalty, stunning and steadfast - and King Ben and Lady Mal were - well, of course they were lovely, they were _royal_. What else would they be? The king was dressed in stunning blues and yellows of Auradon, and his future queen a vision in purple, tulle and lace and all the delicate materials Mr. Marius steered Chad away from, fearing his clumsy fingers. Chad didn’t blame him, he was much better with gentlemen’s clothing, no doubts there. 

It was King Ben who kicked off the fun, making a general welcome speech that warmed Chad down to his bones. The speech was immediately followed by dancing, whereupon dozens of sparkling couples took to the dance floor with a sort of synchronicity that only came from doing this sort of thing hundreds of times before. 

This was it. All Chad had to do was find some girl - preferably a nobody like him - who looked as longing as he felt who would _maybe_ say yes to him and then he’d have his foot in the door. It could only get better with experience, right? And it wasn’t like he had to worry about spilling anything on her because his hands were free, and he wouldn’t trip if he was careful of where he stepped-

“Hey,” a bright voice chirped from beside him, and Chad looked over to see a buff teen lingering near his column, the firm muscles of his arms on display in an uncharacteristic version of finery, though the materials he wore were high quality, sleek leathers trimmed in gold, and he had a cape running down his back. It made Chad feel slightly inadequate with his meager tailcoat. “Would you like to dance?”

“Me?” Chad looked around, sure that the teen had been addressing some girl nearby that Chad had just missed.

But everyone else was already pulled into their own conversations, and when Chad looked back the teen was still smiling. “Yeah.” He made a show of doing one of those elaborate noble bows. “You look like you want to dance, and _I_ want to dance, so I thought I’d ask.”

“Oh.” Chad blinked, feeling a heat rise to his cheeks. He didn’t know guys could dance with guys, though now that he looked out on the floor, that obviously was the case and he was just stupid. “I mean- yes, I’d be delighted.”

“Really?” The teen lit up, his radiant smile somehow spreading wider. “ _Awesome_.”

He offered Chad his arm, and it didn’t feel like a mockery but it was still strange being under this much genuine interest, the other teen seeming so pleased by such a small thing. He led them to the outskirts of the floor, where they immediately discovered a problem for who should lead who. Conscious of the people who could be staring at them, Chad relented and took the girl spot, mentally flipping all the steps he’d already practiced.

“I’m Gil,” the other teen continued brightly, brows furrowed in concentration as he tried to lead them in a circle.

“Kit,” Chad replied. “I mean, I’m Kit.”

It was what his father called him - well, what _everyone_ called him because his father said he wasn’t allowed to use his real name under _any circumstances_ , not that Chad knew why or really even minded, because Chad was a dumb name anyway.

“Hey, we both have short names!” This delighted Gil, enough for him to step on Chad’s toes again. He immediately looked down, wincing. “Sorry, I’m um- not very good at this yet. That’s probably why the others told me not to dance.”

Chad didn’t know who these ‘others’ were, but he immediately felt a kinship to the bright teen who’d asked him to dance when Chad had been too nervous to do so himself, so that sorrow would not _do_.

“It’s okay,” Chad assured, squeezing his shoulder. “You just need more practice. Here.” He tugged the other teen off the dance floor, towards a secluded stone balcony overlooking the castle gardens. The area was mostly deserted because everything interesting was happening _inside_ , but it felt like a good enough place to show Gil the basic steps. “Just follow me. And- one, two, three...”

Gil was by no means a natural, and it didn’t help that Chad didn’t really know what he was doing either, but eventually they managed to get the steps of a basic waltz mastered. Without Gil stepping on his feet, dancing was actually fun. Chad felt safe with the other teen’s arm curled around his waist, spinning them in easy circles that made Chad feel like he was walking on air. This must be what princesses felt like when they met their prince charming - _not_ that Gil was Chad’s prince- that would be stupid, just- it was nice. That was all.

“You’re a great teacher,” Gil chirped, easing Chad into a dip that made them both giggle. “Evie tried to help me out earlier but she had to give up because there ‘just wasn’t enough time’. Harry said I was hopeless.”

“Well, that’s obviously not the case.” Chad grinned, basking in the look of joy that comment earned him. “You just needed more time. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Thanks.” Gil’s cheeks were flushed with exertion, and Chad knew he shouldn’t stare or else the other teen might think he was _weird_ , even though it was hard to pull his eyes away. “Where’d you learn to dance?”

Chad felt heat blossom in his cheeks. “From books, actually. And um- some old video tapes.”

“No way,” Gil laughed. “Am I like- your first _partner_?”

“You’re the first person who’s asked me to dance,” Chad allowed, deciding that the few awkward practice sessions he’d had with Mr. Marius didn’t count.

“Lucky me,” Gil said, and it was almost like he’d meant it. “Do you know any other dances?”

“A couple,” Chad admitted, and that was how they came to spend the next thirty or so minutes reviewing the few meager dances Chad had in his arsenal. It was fun, dancing with Gil. Comfortable in a way Chad hadn’t expected (he’d also expected to dance with a _girl_ so it was an adjustment all around). Gil made him laugh with his easy jokes, and seemed genuinely interested in anything Chad had to say (which couldn’t, comparatively, be _that_ interesting, but it was flattering just the same). 

They were laughing over their failed attempt to do the foxtrot when an arm curled around his waist- deftly tugging him away from Gil in a motion so seamless Chad almost didn’t register it until he was face-to-face with another teen. 

This one seemed to be a direct counter to Gil in almost every way. Pale skin with startling blue eyes lined with smears of eyeliner (Chad had never seen a guy wearing makeup before, but it seemed natural on this guy, and um- interesting in a way he’d rather not delve into), short dark hair that contrasted with the long golden curls that spilled down Gil’s back in a low pony tail.

“And who’s _this_ exquisite creature, Gilly?” the teen drawled, voiced tinged with a thick sort of accent. “Is he the one who stole ye off the dance floor?”

“This is Kit!” Gil didn’t seem phased by this interruption, nor the way this strange teen was holding Chad so close. “Kit, this is my friend Harry.”

“Ah, so you’ve been talking about me, then?” A wicked sort of smirk overtook Harry’s face. He lifted Chad’s hand deliberately, pressing his lips to _Chad’s knuckles_. “All good things, I hope?”

“You said Gil was hopeless,” Chad replied before he could think to filter himself, and he was rewarded with a half second of surprise before Harry let out a rough bark of laughter.

“He certainly _was_ , at least,” Harry chuckled. “Seems like he’s found his sea legs now, though.”

“Kit’s been teaching me,” Gil cheered. “I can _waltz_ now. And two-step.”

“How ‘bout a polka?” Harry asked, leaning into Chad’s space. He was already very close, and he didn’t seem bothered by this. “Pretty little thing like you should know how to do that.”

Chad was certain that his face was as red as a tomato, because he was pretty sure this guy was _flirting_ with him, on _purpose_. “I um- yes, I can polka.”

“Excellent.” Harry drew him into the appropriate position. He tipped his head low so that his mouth could brush against Chad’s ear, warm breath sending shivers down Chad’s frame. “Let’s see how you fair then.”

Dancing with Harry was nothing like dancing with Gil. Where Gil was a whirlwind of energy, Harry was a _tornado_. He moved with a distinct confidence that didn’t require Chad’s reassurance, comfortable maneuvering the blond wherever he needed to go. They ended up pressed closer together than the dance strictly required, and part of Chad liked that for whatever reason, liked the way Harry leered at him even though he _didn’t know why_. Maybe it was an isolation thing. His first time out with people his age, obviously he was latching onto the first two individuals he saw. He should leave them after this, maybe ask a girl to dance, or maybe leave the ball altogether. He was obviously too needy for this kind of thing. 

“You’re light on your feet, aren’t ye?” Harry breathed, lips grazing against the shell of his ear. “Is that why you sought Gil out?”

“He um- asked me.” As though Chad had the courage for _that_.

“Did he, now?” Harry drawled, mouth _definitely_ brushing against Chad’s neck, just above his collar. “And is there a reason you’ve been holding him hostage out here?”

“I haven’t- I was teaching him how to _dance_ ,” Chad sputtered, feeling very uneasy. “I um- I’m sorry if I’ve been monopolizing his time. I’ll go find someone else to dance with-”

“No.” Harry squeezed his hand. “He likes you now, don’t he?”

“I think Gil might like everyone,” Chad mumbled. “...he’s very nice.”

That seemed to throw Harry for a moment, though Chad didn’t know _why._ If he was Gil’s friend, he was already aware of how generous and enthusiastic he was. Maybe he just didn’t want to share. 

The polka began to wind down, and through the open doors of the ballroom the band started to slow down into a more romantic couples’ dance. Harry readjusted his hold appropriately, tucking Chad against his chest as they started to sway in small circles. 

“Damn right, he is,” Harry murmured, his forehead pressed against the side of Chad’s face so he could whisper in his ear. “An if you think for a second about taking advantage of him-”

“How would _I_ take advantage of him?” Chad felt a furious blush creep over his cheeks. Based on the way they were dressed, both Gil and Harry were nobility, where Chad was just a pauper in his thrown-together clothes, obviously out-of-fashion and never feeling it more distinctly than in this exact moment. “I’m nothing, you _jerk_. You’re the one that told him he couldn’t dance. Maybe _you_ should be nicer to him.”

Harry pulled back enough so he could press their foreheads together, taking in Chad’s angered expression with a sly grin. “Maybe I should be,” he relented, eyes shining bright. “I must say I _do_ like a piece with a bit of bite to them.” One of his hands slid down Chad’s back, resting low on his waist as a sort of threat, or maybe a taunt. Chad didn’t know. “Got a bit of spine on you, eh?”

He dipped his head low, nuzzling under Chad’s jaw before _licking_ the skin there, making Chad tense in his hold.

“What are you _doing_?” Chad hissed, because Harry was just- sucking his neck, in _public_. Was this what noble people did?

“Getting a taste,” Harry drawled, lips pulling into a grin Chad could feel against his neck. “Like that?”

Chad nodded before he could think not to, blushing horribly at Harry’s wry chuckle. “Harry...”

“Tongue isn’t so sharp now, is it?” He _bit_ into Chad’s skin, sucking a mark there like they did in the movies and this should be horrifying but it was actually sort of hot and what the _hell_ was wrong with Chad. He didn’t even know he was attracted to guys. Granted, there had never been anyone nearby for him to be attracted _to_ , but he hadn’t realized guys might even be an option. “Seem to be getting awfully flustered, _Kitten_.”

“I’ve um- never done this before,” Chad mumbled, feeling distinctly overwhelmed.

That actually made Harry pull back, one of his hands shifting to cup Chad’s jaw - what the fuck, was he going to kiss Chad? Did Chad _want_ to get kissed by Harry?

“Oh, you haven’t, have you?” he drawled, pressing his thumb to Chad’s bottom lip and then just- coaxing it into his mouth and what the fuck was this. Chad hadn’t read anything like this in his books, he’d read a lot and this was covered by _none of them_. “Such a perfect little thing you are, charming and helpful - bashful and new so Gil can get you broken in, is it? So tell me-” He pressed his thumb down hard on Chad’s tongue. “Who sent you? Was it Audrey? Are ye one of hers?”

Chad shook his head as much as Harry’s hand would allow, gaze shifting frantically to the doors to make sure no one else was nearby to witness whatever the fuck this was. 

“Ah-ah.” In one swift movement, Harry boxed him against a wall of the castle, looming into Chad’s space. “Don’t even think about running.”

With a few frantic movements, Chad reached for Harry’s wrist, ripping the offending digit out of his mouth so he could _speak_. “What’s _wrong_ with you? No one sent me. The ball was open for everyone-”

“And you dressed like this as a coincidence?” Harry asked, tugging at Chad’s coat collar with an offended _growl_. “Spruced yourself up like an Isle kid, though there isn’t one thing about you that’s Isle-like.” He cupped the side of Chad’s face again, letting his fingers twist in soft blond curls. “Practically put yourself on a platter, _waiting_ for him.”

“This isn’t-” Chad felt a wet heat pulling at the corner of his eyes, wondering where Gil went, wondering how this had all gone wrong so very quickly. “I made this myself. I’m a seamstress at Eudora’s Alteration Shop in Conques-”

“Nice back story,” Harry murmured. “You’re very committed, but I’m not buying it.”

“Please,” Chad whispered. “I’ll leave right now-”

“Not until you say who sent you.”

“ _No one_ sent me.” Was that a thing rich people worried about? “I don’t know who Audrey is-”

Harry shoved him hard against the wall. “Likely story.” He fingered the sleeve of Chad’s coat, eyeing the fabric until he gave it a swift _yank_ that tore the shoulder seam right open. “Looks like you’re not that good a seamstress.”

“Hey-” Chad would have scrambled for his sleeve but Harry was already reaching for his vest, tearing the buttons off in one easy movement. It had taken Chad weeks to save up the nicest ones, and he knew there were mismatched but he’d _liked_ them, and now they were scattered on the balcony of the castle because of some noble’s shitty son. “ _Stop_.”

“Who sent you?” Harry snapped. “I’m not asking again.” 

“Harry?” Gil’s voice broke into their confrontation like water on a roaring fire, dousing the flames with such sudden effectiveness that Harry froze in place. Gil was just barely out the doors of the castle with a- a _princess_ on his arm, dark blue hair with a pretty gold tiara and Chad was standing there with ripped up clothes and the beginnings of a hickey on his neck.

Before something _else_ could happen, Chad rode his wave of panic and shoved Harry at the other teen, ducking around the corner as fast as his legs could carry him. He found himself jumping over the edge of the balcony into an area that was probably restricted but he didn’t care, he just wanted to leave. What the hell had he been thinking? His father was right, the outside world was too dangerous for people like him. Chad should be happy with his job and his books and his father that he got to see every once and a while. Happy with the cozy roof over his head that kept him safe from crazy nobles that demanded whatever they wanted from whoever they wanted without thinking twice, as though the world owed it to them.

Chad’s landing was far from graceful, and he stumbled as a flare of pain emanated from his ankle but Chad ignored it, stubbornly limping on so Harry couldn’t find him. He tried to stay as close to the castle as possible, looking for any kind of exit. He didn’t find a gate, but he found a small side entrance that might be for servants. Worse comes to worst, Chad could always claim the honest truth of being lost and ask to be seen out, or _would_ be seen out for trespassing. It was fine, it was all fine.

The small door was unlocked, fortunately, and it led into a small hallway that he hoped would eventually lead to the front gate. He limped down the tasteful interior grateful not to be seen, and had almost managed to will away his tears by the time he rounded the corner and came face-to-face with King Ben and Lady Mal themselves.

Aside from looking as amazing and put together as they’d been before, both the king and his fiancé were as surprised by Chad’s appearance as he was theirs’, and he was about to release a mumbled apology when Lady Mal darted forward, taking his hand between hers.

“What happened?” she growled, staring at his torn clothes with a look of fury that was entirely unwarranted. “Did someone hurt you?”

“It’s fine.” Chad could feel himself begin to get flustered again. “I got lost, sorry. I was just looking for the exit-”

“If someone hurt you, we need to know about it,” Mal hissed, exuding a sense of overprotection, and Chad didn’t know _why_ until he remembered what Harry had said, and he felt the tears pool in his eyes once more.

“I’m not- I’m not an Isle kid,” Chad mumbled. “Sorry. I made this out of the nicest things I had and...” He swallowed looking down at the remnants of his outfit. “Until about ten minutes ago I was really proud of it.”

Lady Mal didn’t say anything, seeming to be struck quiet, and it was then that the _king_ strode forward, his presence a calm dichotomy to Mal’s rage. “Whether you’re an Isle kid or not, you deserve justice.”

“It was just a misunderstanding.” Chad stared down at where the lady was still holding his hands - such small, delicate things sandwiching his tan, clumsy fingers. “I’d really just like to leave, your majesty.”

“How about you get him some new clothes?” the king aimed this at his fiancé, who seemed to latch onto the idea. “And I’ll go back out into the crowds?”

“And maybe keep an eye open?” Lady Mal hummed, seeming more settled now that she had a plan in place. “Alright, we can do that.”

“That isn’t necessary,” Chad tried to assure them, but neither seemed to listen, the king going to far as to _squeeze_ his arm before calmly continuing down the hallway.

“Sure it is,” the lady chirped, sliding her hand into his and tugging Chad in a different direction, through a secret portion up the wall and up a hidden staircase into yet another hallway. “What kind of rulers would we be if we didn’t look after our people?”

“It was my understanding that rulers delegated, your ladyship,” Chad murmured, feeling terribly self-conscious.

Mal let out a bark of laughter, though unlike Harry’s it was infinitely kind. “Maybe, but we had additional security for this affair that was _supposed_ to prevent this kind of shit from happening. Therefore, you are owed special treatment.” 

She tugged him towards two large double doors that were manned by footmen who didn’t so much as blink before pulling them open, revealing an elegant suite fit for royalty. Chad could feel his heart pounding in his chest, barely managing to take in the high, vaulted ceilings before he was dragged down another hallway and into a bedroom that most definitely belonged to the _king_ and his future queen.

“I shouldn’t be here,” Chad said, feeling faint as he spotted what had to be the lady’s art studio through an open door leading off of the bedroom, the entire thing covered with detailed canvases and pastel drawings and the walls themselves covered with painted art.

“Sure, you should,” Lady Mal countered easily, going into what Chad assumed was her closet and riffling through the clothes. “I invited you. It would be rude to turn me down.”

“Rude, but appropriate.” Chad tried to avoid looking at his reflection in the full-length mirror that stood next to the closet. “Honestly, if you could just give me directions, I could show myself out.”

“With that ankle?” Lady Mal reappeared with a selection of clothing bundled in her hands. “Yeah, no.”

In all the chaos, Chad had sort of forgotten about his likely-sprained ankle, and as though to object to this treatment it pulsed in annoyance. “...it’s not that bad.”

“You’re limping.” She started sorting her haul out onto the very large bed that she and the king probably _slept in,_ revealing an assortment of shirts, vests, and coats, and also _they were the king’s_. “This is nice.” She held up one of the light blue shirts. “It’ll bring out your eyes.”

“I can’t take that.” Chad wasn’t sure why he was still objecting when she wasn’t going to listen to him, but he felt obligated to try anyway. He should be home right now, feeding his mice and finishing the quilt for his father’s birthday. He should not be here, talking to the almost-queen. 

“You can and you will,” Mal replied, proving him right. “Now sit down before you collapse.”

Chad _wasn’t_ on the verge of collapse, but his ankle did hurt, so he went ahead and took a seat as instructed, perched on the edge of some sort of fancy lounging thing that only rich people owned.

“That’s better.” The lady grinned, handing over the shirt. “Try this on, he never wears it anyway.”

“ _Why_?” Chad asked before he could help himself, feeling the elegant cut of the seams. It must have been specially tailored for the king, with pretty matching buttons and even holes for _cuff links_ , who even used cuff links? The king, of course. Dumb question. 

Mal snorted. “I know, right? That’s just Ben, though. He was born into this stuff so he forgets to appreciate it sometime.” Her mischievous gaze slid over to him. “I’m glad it’s going to someone who _does_ appreciate it, though.”

“Oh, no.” Chad felt the color drain from his face. “I can’t take this. It’s _hand stitched_.” Chad’s shirt had been hand stitched, but that was because his machine at home had gotten jammed up again. He’d need to take it apart to repair it, but that would have to wait until he found another wrecked machine at the pawn shop. “Besides, my shirt’s fine.”

The lady gave him a dubious look, motioning to his shoulder - and it was then that Chad realized that Harry must have torn the seam from both his coat _and_ his shirt. It was like salt rubbed into the wound, and it made Chad ache with shame. It wouldn’t have torn so easily if he’d been able to use his machine, which would have been _fine_ if he’d just taken better care of it. 

Chad sighed.

“At this rate, I think you deserve that shirt more than Ben ever could,” the lady decided, motioning for him to take off what remained of his coat. Chad did so reluctantly, fingering the tear in his shirt before sliding off the sad remnants of his vest. “You sew, then?”

“Not _well_.” Obviously. “But enough to get by.” That was what Mr. Marius said, though he offered it kindly, which Chad always appreciated. “It’s a way to give new life to old clothing.”

Which, for someone like Chad who had to stretch, well - _everything_ to make ends meet on his small budget - was absolutely vital.

“I knit too,” Chad offered, latching onto the small talk to make himself feel less awkward about sliding into the _king’s shirt_ while his future bride was _right there_ like this wasn’t the most bizarre thing in the world. “Which is handy for the winter.”

Cheaper too, to purchase the yarn and knit your own blankets and sweaters rather than buying them secondhand, though Chad was always relegated to whatever colors they had in the bargain bin. Still, it kept him warm, and that was what mattered.

“No shit?” the lady _cursed_ offhandedly, looking over Chad’s torso with a quiet sort of approval that made him shake inside. “Evie always wanted to try that out, but we could never get any yarn on the Isle.”

“I’m sorry,” Chad said before he could think of what a truly _moronic_ statement that was, and then he was burying his face in his hands. “And I’m sorry for that. Please pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Mal giggle. “No, you’re fine,” she assured, voice lilting in with an air of amusement. “I don’t mind when it’s genuine, it just so rarely is.”

“There’s plenty of people who’d be genuine about it,” Chad countered slowly, daring to look up again. “At least everyone I’ve talked to. Which granted, isn’t much, but...”

“We shouldn’t count you out,” the lady finished for him with a bright grin. “Here, try this vest on.”

“I don’t really need a vest,” Chad tried to wheedle, though the lady would have none of it, practically shoving the elegant navy vest into his hands with its beautiful matching buttons and it’s definitely silk lining.

“So what do you think about it?” Mal asked, going over towards the vanity and searching through a polished wooden box that seemed more expensive than any of the furniture in Chad’s cottage. “The barrier being taken down from the Isle?”

“I’m glad,” Chad replied honestly. “I mean, with all the new reforms it’ll only house the people that _should_ be there, right? Everyone else getting to be free- I’m glad for that. It’s terrible, thinking of being trapped somewhere for something you didn’t do.” Chad had no right to compare it to his cozy cottage, but sometimes he couldn’t help but feel a little stifled, even if today was enough to make him realize he _should_ be locked away. “And um- I’m not just saying that because you’re almost the queen.”

Mal laughed at him, openly and without restraint. It was a very nice sound. “Thank you for assuaging that concern. Now here-” She handed over a pair of cuff links that gleamed in the light of room, gold circular studs with a sort of white granite center. “Looking sharp, slick.”

“I know I’ve said this before, but I really can’t take these.” Chad was freaking out at the very prospect of having them in his hand.

“Nonsense, he doesn’t wear them.” Mal waved him off, eyeing his ankle with a single-minded focus. “We need to get that elevated.”

“Don’t you need to get back to the ball?” That seemed like a thing she, the host, should be doing. “I’m really grateful for the clothes-”

“And the cuff links.”

“I’m definitely not taking these cuff links,” Chad said, and it was a minor relief when Lady Mal deftly snatched them from his hands.

It was less of a relief when she started sliding them into the appropriate slots at Chad’s wrists, completely ignoring Chad’s protests. 

He was going to be labeled a thief. He’d already been labeled a saboteur or something and now he was a thief and socially awkward nobody who kept stealing the queen’s time.

“Elevate,” Mal said, tapping his wounded ankle lightly. “I’ll send for some ice-”

“I can ice it at home-”

“Do I have to make this an order?” Mal huffed, blowing a stray hair out of her face. “Because I’ll do it. I will totally abuse my authority to get you to sit still long enough to see a doctor.”

“I don’t _need_ a doctor, your ladyship.” That was the very last thing Chad wanted anyway. “And my ankle’s feeling a lot better anyway.”

The lady locked her gaze with his and then, very meaningfully, jabbed his ankle.

Chad flinched away with a hiss.

“So stubborn,” she muttered, guiding his leg up onto the lounger. She busied herself by grabbing a few pillows and shoving them under Chad’s injured foot. “How did that happen anyway?”

“I um... jumped off the back balcony.” Chad ducked his head, feeling his cheeks heat up with shame. “I was trying to make a tactful retreat, but I just sort of panicked.”

“Who were you retreating from?”

“No one important.” If Harry had been a nuisance to Chad with minimal provocation, he would hate to see what the noble would do if Chad actually gave him an excuse to be angry. Or, more of one.

“ _Gah_ ,” Mal sighed, dragging a hand over her face. “...I literally just realized I don’t know your name.”

Chad flushed, because he was the dipshit that had forgotten to give it to her. “I’m Kit, your ladyship.”

“ _Kit_ ,” she said it as though she were testing out the name for how offensive it was to her sensibilities, and it seemed to be not very. “Well, Kit, you’re not doing anyone a favor by keeping quiet. If someone bothered you, they’re likely to target someone just like you.”

“I doubt that, your majesty,” Chad replied, even though internally he felt cowed. “It was a um- very specific order of events that set him off.”

That mostly had to do with Chad hogging his supposed friend who he’d given up on, but maybe Harry was just a gigantic hypocrite anyway.

“So it was a _him_ , was it?” the lady pressed, wagging her brows. “Was he the one who gave you that mark on your neck?”

Were it possible to die of humiliation, Chad may have done so right then, because somehow in the presence of _royalty_ he’d forgotten about the love mark that had been sucked onto his neck.

“Was that against your will?” Mal continued, graciously moving on.

“N-no.” Why couldn’t the ground just swallow him now? “That um- was before things went bad.”

Or rather, it was _during_ , but Chad had liked it because he was likely fundamentally broken. Or maybe just sheltered. 

“Did you want to stop?” Mal asked, like this was a normal conversation for her to have with one of her subjects. “Could he not take no for an answer?”

“The only thing he wouldn’t _stop_ doing was ripping my clothes,” Chad sniffed, fingering his old coat. It seemed even more depressing than before. “But that was entirely unrelated.”

“ _How_?” the lady pressed, and then - _thankfully_ \- there was a chiming sound. “Someone’s at the door to the suite,” she explained, moving towards the hallway. “This isn’t finished.”

Chad kept quiet instead of choosing to reply, waiting for her to exit the room before he undid the cuff links, leaving them beside the polished box before grabbing the bundle of his old clothes. He was quietly hobbling back towards the door Mal had exited when he heard a familiar voice echo down the hallway.

“ _I don’t need to calm down_ ,” Harry snapped. “ _I should be out there, lookin’ for him!_ ”

“ _Looking for who, Harry?_ ” The lady replied, and that was all Chad registered before he bolted for the only other door he knew of - the one to the art studio. He closed the door behind him, scanning the floor to ceiling windows until he found yet another balcony. This was smaller than the one he’d jumped off of before, but also substantially higher and that was bad but it would be _worse_ going back inside so Harry - who was apparently friends with Lady Mal - could declare that Chad was trying to win her over with a sob story of some kind. 

From the corner of Chad’s eye, he spotted a rain gutter just off the edge of the balcony, and he knew that what would happen next was a terrible idea, but it was also the only one he had, so-

So _that_ was how Chad came to precariously climb down a narrow drain pipe _three stories_ until he was finally at ground level. At least he could _see_ an exit at this point and he gladly took it, limping past a crowd of latecomers until he was back at the city square. It was only when he had safely gotten onto the bus back to Conques that Chad breathed easy once more, deciding that his first trip into Auradon central was definitely going to be his _last_. Nobles were crazy and balls certainly weren’t anything to write home about. He’d take his books and his garden over _that_ again any day, though he did make a note to write down his adventure, figuring it would be his only one. 

He may as well get a laugh out of it on some future rainy day. He could at least get _that_ much. 

Which, for him, was more than enough.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Riding his bike to the alterations shop the next day was an exercise in mind over matter that Chad almost failed, but he managed it all the same, even if he was distinctly sweaty and sore by the time he stored his bike away in the cleaning storage closet that only he used. While they had all been granted a day off for the celebrations the day before, that was the extent of their vacation time, and Chad was the low man on the totem pole. It was his job to get the shop prepped for Mr. Marius, who would flip the sign to open when he got in, and get a head start on the pile of alterations that were still to be finished. They’d prioritized all the ball clothes, which left them with everything else - garden dresses and pant hemming and back to school clothes for all the royals attending Auradon Prep and Auradon University come fall. 

Chad was generally the first one in to the shop, so he spent the first few hours working in silence, finishing up his load of projects before starting on Lila’s - who had a slower turnaround time but was infinitely better at detail work than Chad. If he didn’t take her easy stuff now, she’d just dump it on him later, so he decided to get a head start before the influx of formal wear that would need to be repaired after yesterday’s festivities. 

The sun was safely in the sky by the time Lila and Mr. Marius came in, opening the shop for proper business. They passed a few hours like that in relative silence, Lila glaring at the delicately beaded shawl she was repairing while Chad let out the seams on a whimsical summer dress when Mr. Marius strolled into the backroom.

“I just received the most interesting call.” He aimed this at Chad, which was weird because he rarely gossiped with Chad during work hours.

“Did we get another big order?” Lila asked. “Some royal looking for legitimate tailoring rather than alterations?”

“No, it actually wasn’t a business call,” Mr. Marius said. “It was about you, Kit.”

“Me?” Chad felt his stomach turn to stone, the slight twinge in his ankle seeming to pulsate acutely.

“Yes, it was from the royal household.”

“What would the _royal household_ want with Kit?” Lila asked, setting the beaded shawl aside. “You didn’t make a nuisance of yourself at the ball yesterday, did you?”

“ _No_ ,” Chad replied, perhaps a bit too defensively because she narrowed her eyes at him in that knowing way of hers, being that a majority of the accidents that happened in the back room were Chad’s fault anyway.

“It wasn’t anything like that,” Mr. Marius assured. “They wanted to know how long you’d been working here.”

Chad froze. “You lied, right?”

Chad had, more or less, been working under the counter for Mr. Marius since he was twelve, the old man taking pity on him and giving him a job doing basic repairs and all the shop maintenance when he started struggling to make ends meet.

“I said you’d been working here since you were sixteen,” Mr. Marius all but confirmed, leaving Chad with a respectable three-year employment window. “Though I am curious why they’d call for that in the first place.”

“Why?” Lila asked. “You think they’re going to snatch him up from under you? Maybe hire Kit to do their _alterations_.”

She said as though Chad would be employed for _something else_ , and as he did any other time she implied he was only useful for his moderate looks, Chad flushed with shame. 

And just like every other time, she laughed at the sight of it. “As if anyone would be clambering for your expertise with the outfit you had on yesterday.”

“I _liked_ that outfit,” Chad said quietly, trying to focus on his seam work.

“It wasn’t bad, for a middle school art project.”

“That’s enough,” Mr. Marius sighed. “I just thought you’d like to know, Kit, and see if there was anything you’d want to tell me?”

“I don’t think you have to worry about me being offered a job, Mr. Marius,” Chad muttered, turning back to his work. “I’m sorry they bothered you, but I’m not sure why they called.”

“In that case, I’ll leave you two to your work,” Mr. Marius declared, heading back to the front of the store to take more customers’ orders.

It wasn’t until an hour later when things really picked up.

Seeing Mr. Marius in the backroom wasn’t all that unusual, but seeing Mr. Marius in the backroom _without_ any new orders for them to fill was an even rarer sight, and it’d already happened once that day.

It was even less comforting when his eyes fell on Chad once more. “Kit, you’ve got some visitors.”

“Him?” Lila asked with the same confusion Chad felt. “Who would visit him? He doesn’t have any friends.”

Which was something Chad would defend against, but then Lady _Mal_ was pushing into the backroom with none other than Harry the crazy noble right on her heels, looking like he’d rather be anywhere but there.

“You left your cuff links,” was how Mal chose to greet him, crossing over to Chad’s station and dumping a small velvet box into his hands. “Common mistake, Ben does it all the time.”

“These aren’t mine,” Chad tried to sputter, but Mal was already turning back to Mr. Marius.

“Can I take him to lunch?” Mal asked. “I want to take him to lunch.”

Mr. Marius didn’t seem to know what to do with this information, though he slowly nodded. “...of course, your ladyship. I - and Kit - would be honored.”

“Well, so long as you’re _honored_ ,” Harry grumbled.

With the practice that likely came from knowing a crazy person, Mal ignored him. “Thank you, Mr. Marius. I appreciate that.” She turned back to Chad. “Come on, up and at ‘em. I’m hungry.”

“Umm...” Chad shot a desperate look to Mr. Marius, who motioned for him to leave.

Alrighty then.

That was how Chad ended up in a private car with Lady Mal and grumpy Harry, feeling very out of place with his homemade sweater, patched khakis, and a velvet box he had tried very hard to give back to Mal who had stubbornly ignored him every time he did so.

It was Mal that led them into a small but very expensive looking cafe, the three of them whisked off towards a private upper floor Chad wouldn’t have known existed even if he’d dared to step foot in there, which he definitely wouldn’t have.

“So, apologies are in order,” Mal declared when they settled around their small and utterly charming table. “From both myself and Harry - mostly me for thinking Harry could behave without adult supervision-”

“ _Mal_ ,” Harry growled, but the lady ignored him.

“And the rest entirely from Harry for being an unmitigated shit and accosting you at the ball, so...” She motioned to Harry who... seemed to be pouting. Mal sighed. “ _I’m_ sorry that you were assaulted by this lug I am unfortunately fond of. It would be entirely within your right to press charges-”

“I don’t want to do that,” Chad interrupted, feeling like his voice was too loud, too insistent, but knowing he had to cut in before she went down that path. “He was just trying to protect his friend. I can’t blame him for that.”

Thankfully the conversation paused there when the waiter came to take their drink orders - and where Mal got a fancy fruit tea and Harry ordered a soda of some kind, Chad stuck to water. He knew what water tasted like, the majority of his body was composed of it, and it was free. There was nothing but bonuses there.

Mal narrowed her eyes at his choice, but otherwise said nothing. “There are better ways to protect your friends,” she settled on. “One which involves _gathering evidence_ before throwing accusations around.”

“That’s what I was _trying_ to do,” Harry sputtered, but she waved him off with a lazy hand. It was kind of wild.

“Harry,” Mal began with a sweet flutter of her eyes. “Is there something you’d like to say?”

The noble released a put-upon sigh. “I’m sorry for thinking ye were a plant,” he muttered. “And I’m sorry for ripping your clothes and...”

“Just generally harassing him,” Mal finished neatly. “And prompting him to jump off of a balcony just to escape your dumb face, when the only crime he’d committed was teaching Gil to dance.” 

“He did it _outside_ ,” Harry grumbled. “Where we couldn’t see them _.”_

“Gil felt self-conscious,” Chad said with a flush, not entirely liking the implications of Harry’s statement. “I just wanted to show him the moves somewhere where he’d feel better. I wasn’t trying to _lure_ him away for nefarious purposes.” Not like Harry had done to Chad’s neck.

“And his teaching style worked,” Mal chirped before Harry could reply. “Evie’s feet can attest to that.”

“So I _might_ have overreacted,” Harry allowed. “But ye know how people get with Gil. They seem ‘im and they think he’s an easy target.”

“Because he’s nice?” Chad asked. Or maybe it was because he was generous, asking lonely looking dudes out for a dance. Harry had thought Gil had gone for him because he was dressed like an Isle kid, which still sort of hurt, as Isle kids only had access to Auradon’s secondhand goods. Though Chad supposed that description fit him pretty well.

The other two just sort of stared at him.

“Among other things,” Mal settled on.

They paused after this when the waiter returned with their drinks, pausing to take their orders, whereupon Chad panicked and ordered the cheapest soup he could find, which wasn’t that entirely cheap anyway. And then the point was moot because Mal ordered him a sandwich as well, along with some fruity drink spritzer that came with an umbrella and a slice of pear on the rim.

“Is Gil okay?” Chad asked when he thought he was ready to itch out of his own skin. “I didn’t mean to upset him.”

“Ye _shoved_ me at him,” Harry growled, narrowing his eyes in a suspicious glare.

“After you shoved your thumb _in my mouth_ ,” Chad hissed, dropping his voice low despite the fact that they were the only people in the room. “Like some kind of _weirdo_.”

“Okay, I missed that part.” Lady Mal blinked as though she was visually processing this. “What the hell, Harry?”

“Aw, come on,” Harry groused. “Ye want to tell me he _isn’t_ the perfect setup? Isle clothes, charming, nice, _never been asked to dance before_ , supposedly never canoodled with anyone-”

“I haven’t canoodled with anyone.” Chad flushed. “Except for _you_ and I regret that very much.”

“And he’s funny,” Harry continued. “And cute when he’s mad. Of course I thought he was a plant. I’m still amazed he isn’t.”

“Well, I’m _not_ ,” Chad snapped. “And I’m sorry if that’s something you guys have to worry about on a regular basis, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to rip my clothes.” He lowered his gaze to the table. “I worked hard on those.”

Mal’s hand settled on his arm, a grounding sort of presence Chad didn’t feel worthy of. “I know, Kit,” she said quietly. “And Harry knows too, which is why we’re here today.”

“...to take me to apology lunch?” Chad asked, still not quite confident to lift his gaze.

“Among other things,” Mal echoed the sentiment from earlier. “To apologize, yes, but this is just step one.”

That implied there was a step two and Chad honestly didn’t want to know what that _was_.

“We don’t have to take any more steps,” he tried to offer instead, letting his nerves return when their food was settled in front of them. Apparently he had ordered some kind of mushroom soup. It smelled very nice though. “I’m happy with Harry’s apology.”

“Well, I’m not,” Mal declared. “And Uma isn’t either.”

Chad didn’t know who the hell Uma was, but at the mention of her name Harry seemed rightfully contrite, sinking into his seat.

“ _So_ ,” Mal continued. “We decided that Harry’s gonna learn how much work goes into making a garment, so that maybe he’ll think twice before ripping one apart.”

That... did not sound like it boded well for Chad.

“Eat your food,” Mal ordered before Chad could ask for clarification. And, well-

Breakfast _had_ been small that morning to make up for the day off.

Chad ate his food.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“I don’t think I understand,” Mr. Marius said when Mal explained her reasoning to the store manager.

“It’s easy,” Mal said, though ‘easy’ seemed like the last thing it was. “Harry here is going to act as free labor for Kit until such a time that he fully realizes the errors of his ways. If he causes any trouble, call me-” She pointed to the card she’d handed Mr. Marius earlier. “-and I’ll sort him out real quick. Is that okay?”

Mr. Marius stared at the card, then went back to staring at the queen. “...and he won’t be any trouble?”

“He’d _better_ not be,” Mal murmured, low and threatening, giving Harry a look that promised swift retribution should he deign to cross her.

The other teen said nothing.

“Well... I guess I can’t say no to free labor,” Mr. Marius laughed. “Or to our future queen.”

“I really appreciate it,” Mal offered sweetly, a complete one eighty to her previous disposition. She turned back to Chad, whom she’d already given a card to (he’d didn’t actually have a phone, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her that much, choosing to tuck the card into his pocket instead and save it next to the king’s shirt and vest he had hanging in his closet). “I’ll have him start tomorrow,” she decided. “What time do you need him?”

Chad realized this was happening whether he wanted it to or not. “Six will be fine.”

Lady Mal seemed to balk. “I thought you guys opened at nine.”

In his peripherals, Chad could see Mr. Marius tense. “I get the shop ready,” Chad explained. “Prep the orders for pickup, that sort of stuff.”

“Huh,” Mal said, and beside her, Harry was bemoaning his existence. “Six, it is. He’ll see you then.” She offered them both a quick curtsy, more or less dragging Harry back towards the door. “Don’t be such a baby, at least you’ll get to leave early-” was the last thing Chad heard before they left.

Which was not entirely accurate, because Chad closed the store too. He was the one with the shortest commute, and the least amount of family obligations. It was only fair.

As though reading his mind, Mr. Marius cleared his throat. “You can let him go at three.”

“Okay.” Chad nodded, and then it was back to work with a full stomach, with a packed lunch he could save tomorrow and the potential of a helping - though unwilling - hand on the morrow.

It wasn’t until he was getting ready to bike home that night that he realized he still had the cuff links box in his pocket, and with a weary sort of resignation, he sighed. It seemed that whatever Lady Mal wanted, she got. He may as well get used to that, and hope it didn’t land him in dark waters.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Sure enough, Harry was waiting outside the alterations shop the next morning, blinking at the early morning sun as though it deeply offended him and following Chad into the shop with an incoherent grumble that could have served as a hello. 

As... unwelcoming as Harry was, he was good at manual labor, helping Chad clean the front of the shop and organize the backroom supplies in half the usual time. He couldn’t really help Chad with his alterations, but he could hand the blond things as he asked for them, sitting in companionable silence while Chad knocked out the orders he had left over from the day before. 

Chad had thought things would be weird with Harry around, lounging near his feet when he’d gotten bored of the rickety chair next to Chad’s station, but it was actually nice. For some reason, there weren’t nearly as many accidents (perhaps because Harry was the one storing the extra buttons and locating zippers instead of Chad), and Lila didn’t feel inclined to peck at him with the other teen present, likely cowed by his noble status. Chad hadn’t realized how much easier that made things, but he almost didn’t notice when his late lunchtime arrived, slotted after Lila and Mr. Marius’ because he had the best stamina among them.

“ _Finally_ ,” Harry huffed when Chad let him know it was time for a break, and instead of letting Chad go back to get his packed lunch, he grabbed the blond’s wrist and dragged him from the store, giving Mr. Marius a lazy wave. “Lunch is on me. It’s part of Mal’s _deal_.”

“...Mal isn’t here,” Chad pointed out, allowing Harry to tug him along more out of curiosity than anything else. The guy _had_ been relatively well behaved, he probably wouldn’t accost Chad again.

Harry snorted. “Believe me, she’ll know if I don’t take you out. Don’t ask me how, she just will.”

“...do you know where we’re going?” Chad asked after a short pause.

Harry sighed. “Mal has given me a list to work through.”

Which was how they ended up at a cute hole-in-the-wall place that served Imperial City food. Chad had only ever seen pictures of the stuff, but he’d heard good things about sweet and sour pork, so he tried that.

They ate in relative silence, until Harry spoke up halfway through the meal. “Ye seem to do the bulk of the work there.”

“What?” Chad blinked up from his rice, which he’d given up eating with the chopsticks because his stupid hands lacked the coordination to use them.

“The alterations,” Harry clarified. “Ye cleared out your stack and then ye cleared out half of hers before she even showed up.”

“Yeah, but that was easy stuff.” Chad shrugged. “Lila does the detail work.”

“ _Lila_ seems to dither, to me,” Harry scoffed around a mouthful of noodles. “Ye finish three times as much stuff as that stuck up broad.”

“I don’t think you’ve got much room to talk,” Chad sniffed, even if he didn’t feel all that defensive of Lila. Maybe of her skills and the work she did, but not her personality.

“ _Excuse_ me?” Harry had the gall to sputter. “Ye think I’m stuck up?”

“You looked down on me for my clothes.”

Crimson seemed to flood Harry’s cheeks. “That wasn’t _why_ I got onto ye about your clothes.”

“You thought I was dressed like an Isle kid,” Chad pressed. “Which obviously isn’t a bad thing-” Because the isle kids certainly couldn’t help it. “Unless _I_ was dressed like one. I mean, do you get that a lot?” Chad asked. “People trying to pass for Isle refugees to get sympathy?”

“Ye’d be surprised what ends lunatics are willing to go through to get what they want,” Harry muttered.

Chad poked at his sweet and sour pork. “...what does Audrey want with Gil anyway?”

It wasn’t any of his business, except Harry had sort of made it his business when he shoved Chad against the wall.

Harry sighed. “To date him, is my guess.” He stabbed at his noodles angrily, swirling them around his fork in jerked movements. “She knows Gil’s close to Uma, and Uma’s close to Mal - so if she can get to _Gil_ , she’s got access to the ruler of Auradon.”

“If that’s a concern, why didn’t you keep a better eye on him?”

“I bloody told the idiot not to dance,” Harry grumbled, shoveling another forkful of noodles into his mouth. “Then I get off the floor after the first damn waltz and I can’t find him anywhere. I check with all the others, scour the entire ballroom until _finally_ one of the guards motioned me outside to where he’s dancing around with-” He gestured to Chad with his fork. “-an I figure, he’s been with one guy this whole time all alone, that’s plenty of opportunity to plant the seeds of attraction - _exactly_ what Audrey would want.”

“I’m sorry,” Chad murmured, feeling his appetite slowly dwindle over the course of the conversation. “I didn’t realize what it might look like. I’ve never been to a ball before or anything like that- and then Gil asked me to dance-” Chad flushed, shuffling his food around his plate on auto pilot. “...he was just really nice.”

Harry sighed again. Louder. “Don’t I bloody know it,” he grumbled. “That lout’s too nice for his own good, has been his entire life.”

“...people take advantage of him because of it,” Chad surmised.

Harry gave him something close to a look of approval. “That they do.”

“I’m sorry,” Chad repeated.

Harry’s shoulders seemed to shift uncomfortably. “Not your fault,” he muttered. It must have truly pained him. “He asked you to dance. Didn’t even know _how_ and he still asked you.”

“I think he took pity on me,” Chad offered. “Since I was by myself.”

“Why _were_ you alone?” Harry asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. “Cute looking guy like you should have no problem getting dates.”

Chad flushed, and didn’t exactly know how to tell him about his father’s instructions to interact with as few people as possible, and that attending the ball had been a major violation of the rules.

“I’m um... homeschooled,” Chad settled on. “I don’t really know that many people outside of work.” There were the people at the grocery store, and Mrs. Blanc at the bakery he sometimes made things for, and that was pretty much it.

“That...” Harry began with a swish of his fork. “...explains a few things.”

This did little to quell Chad’s nerves. “I know, I’m _weird_ ,” he mumbled, thinking of all the times Lila had mocked him for this fact. “But I’m happy with what I’ve got.”

Granted, he’d be happier when his dad finally came to visit again, but it couldn’t be much longer now. Six years was pretty long time, he had to come back eventually. He had to.

“Which is more than can be said for some people,” Harry awkwardly offered, and they decided to leave it at that, finishing the rest of lunch in silence.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad waved Harry off at three, assuring him that he just had to finish one last zipper (which Harry couldn’t help him with) and then he’d be done. The noble left almost reluctantly, but he still _left_ , putting Chad back into his regular schedule until closing time at six, where he bid Lila and Mr. Marius goodbye while he closed up the shop. He considered leaving the sweeping and mopping for tomorrow morning, when he had Harry, but he knew he’d never be able to rest until he did it himself, so with a weary sigh he got to work.

It was around seven thirty by the time Chad got home, but he had a packed lunch he could eat for dinner and an optimistic view for tomorrow, which was more than he could really hope for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fourth Descendants story, woo! As always, please let me know if I missed something in the tags. I prefer to ere on the side of caution with these things, but when you stare at something for long enough, it can be easy to lose the details :)
> 
> I update once a week, generally on Sundays, but because things have been so crazy lately, I decided to make an effort to update twice a week. So there will be one update on Sunday and one update on Wednesday/Thursday each week. I don’t post stories that don’t have endings (it’s way easier on my anxiety that way), so you don’t have to worry about this story being incomplete. It will have an ending, though granted, it will be crazy because my mind has no understanding of the word ‘restraint’, lol. 
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> So I googled ‘Disney seamstress character’ and the first and only entry I could find was Eudora, who is princess Tiana’s mother. So in this world, she has a franchise of shops and the one Chad works at is run by Marius, who was a part of Tiana’s story arc in the ‘Once Upon a Time’ television series. That is literally all I know about him, I just needed a name and it was there, lol.
> 
> In the live action remake of Cinderella, the prince was nicknamed Kit, which is where I got Chad’s nickname from :)
> 
> Conques is the real-life village in France that Belle’s hometown in Beauty and the Beast is based on. I figured it would be a nice Provencal town for Chad to hide out in. 
> 
> Lila is an original character I invented for the sake of providing a snotty antagonist. She is not a Disney character, but you are certainly free to use her if you also need a snotty random character.
> 
> Until next time :)


	2. Negotiating Wardrobe Choices

And thus began the strange cycle of Harry’s unwilling servitude. Every day he’d meet Chad at the back of the shop, more asleep than awake, and every day he would take Chad out to some new restaurant for lunch. It was during these meals that Chad learned that Harry, Gil, and some guy named Jay were scheduled to set off on some grand tour through all of Auradon starting in the fall. They were going to act as ambassadors - which Harry grumbled about - but also explore the unknown (which he was actually excited about), though this unfortunately parted him from _Uma_ , who as far as Chad could tell was Harry’s sun and moon and stars.

Every day Lila would shoot Harry dubious looks, because apparently the noble was a bit eccentric when it came to fashion. All of his clothes were well made but they were - well, _weird_. Long coats over soft textured sleeveless shirts, and he always had eyeliner on, smeared with some degree of effortless dismissal. Harry never paid her any mind, and for all that he offered wry critiques to the clothing Chad altered, he never made fun of the clothes Chad wore, despite the fact that most of them were homemade, all of them were patched, and despite Chad’s efforts to regularly clean them, they always seemed a bit dingy. But they were comfortable and covered him which was good enough for Chad. And, apparently, good enough for Harry too. 

There was a chance Lila didn’t share this opinion, but Lila had seemed to have some kind of bone to pick with Chad since the moment she had first starting working in the shop when he was fourteen, managing the bulk of the alterations by himself in the gap between the previous seamstress’ end of employment. It didn’t help that Chad had been harried, running on too little sleep and just- painfully awkward, hair a mess of curls because he didn’t have time to _breathe_ let alone cut it. She’d taken one look at him and been immediately unimpressed, not that Chad could entirely blame her. He just wished she would reevaluate her opinion now that he was older.

It was what led to the subtle jabs when they were working that Chad mostly ignored, though it was harder to do so when Lila was more _overt_. And it was even harder when she’d given up on words altogether and just- it wasn’t her fault that Chad was clumsy, but he felt like sometimes she maybe set him up for catastrophe just so she could watch, and that day the catastrophe happened to come in the form of a bottle of liquid clothing dye splashing across Chad’s front - dousing his secondhand sweater, painfully mended jeans, and glued together sneakers with ugly dark blue splatters.

“Come _on_ , Kit,” Lila groaned, picking up the mostly empty bottle before it could spill out onto the floor. “You’ve got to watch where you’re going.”

“Sorry.” Chad was too busy staring at his clothes, wondering if they could be salvaged and knowing they likely couldn’t. He’d have to retire these to around-the-house clothes now, but that meant he would have to throw together another outfit so he could make it to next laundry day.

“Maybe _ye_ should watch where you’re going,” Harry growled, appearing at Chad’s side in an instant. “Come on, we’re getting ye some new clothes.”

“What?” Chad blinked. “No, I’ve got to-”

“She spilled it, she can clean up her own damn mess,” Harry growled, grabbing onto Chad’s wrist and tugging him towards the front of the shop. “I’m not gonna sit around while you work in wet clothes because of her butter fingers.”

They were in the front of the shop before Lila could protest, and fortunately it was empty save for Mr. Marius, who looked at the two of them with an open sort of confusion.

“We’re taking an early lunch today,” Harry declared, eyes narrowed as though begging Mr. Marius to challenge him. “We’ll be back shortly.”

Neither Chad nor his boss was able to get a word in edgewise before Harry was dragging him out the door, into the sunny street where Chad’s ruined clothes became all the more obvious. 

“Harry.” Chad tried to tug his wrist from the noble’s grip to no avail. “I’m fine. I should go back and help her clean up.”

“You’re fine if I say you’re fine.” Harry pulled him down the street, seeming to hone in on an upscale clothing boutique that Chad had never stepped foot in on the basis of never being able to afford anything in there. He had sort of forgotten it existed. “And right now, I say you’re _not_ fine.”

“That’s not how it works,” Chad hissed. “And we can’t go in there. I mean- _I_ can’t go in there, obviously you can. It’s too... nice.”

“It’s a clothing shop,” Harry countered as though there was absolutely no difference between a high-end boutique and a secondhand retailer. “We need to buy clothes; they have clothes to buy. I fail to see the problem here.”

With that last comment he dragged Chad into the shop. It was all wood and marble with a minimalist design, an open sort of layout that made Chad even more out of place in his ruined clothes, made even _Harry_ not belong with his vibrant red and tartan patches sticking out among a sea of pastels and subdued textures. 

“We should go,” Chad whispered, trying to keep himself away from the expensive fabric in case the dye was still dripping. “If you’re really set on this, I know a place-”

“Hello, gentlemen.” A sales associate slid into view as a picture of polished refinement. Her platinum blonde hair was slicked back into a low pony and her outfit was a mixture of soft grays and pale pinks. “I think you might have the wrong shop.”

Harry looked around, confused. “This place sells men’s clothing, right?” he asked, missing the subtle jab. “That’s what we’re looking for.”

“Our clothing speaks to a certain level of... taste,” the sales associate countered. “-that can be out of the price range for some people.” She made a show of looking them over, Chad’s tarnished clothing and Harry’s whimsical outfit. “Perhaps I can recommend the thrift shop down the street? You might be more comfortable there.” 

“And what the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?” Harry growled. “I’ve got money if that’s what you’re worried about-”

“We cater to a certain clientele.” A clientele that did not include _them_ or people like them. “I just don’t think you’ll find a good fit here.”

“Harry, _please_ ,” Chad whispered, squeezing the other teen’s wrist. “Let’s just go.”

There was a painful second where it looked like Harry was going to deny him, but then he finally relented with a snarl, slipping his hand properly into Chad’s before tugging him towards the door. “Fine. I wouldn’t want to buy clothes here _anyway_.”

Going back into the sunlight didn’t make Chad feel less ashamed, though it was certainly less confining. He was cowed enough that he didn’t immediately question Harry’s next step, which was why he didn’t blink when the noble pulled a sleek looking phone out of his pocket, starting a call.

“Hey, Jane?” Harry asked, dragging Chad further down the street. “Yes, duckling, it’s Harry. Do me a favor and contact that alterations shop I’ve been working at and let them know we need Kit for official royal business or some shit for the rest of the day.” There was a pause. “No, it’s not for me _._ If it was for _me,_ I wouldn’t ask a respectable person such as yourself, now would I?” Another pause. “Thanks, darling. I owe you one.”

“Harry,” Chad hissed as they went towards a public parking area. “We can’t just- play hooky. It won’t take long to get clothes from the shop I was telling you about, we might still even have time for lunch-”

“It’s already done.” Harry tugged him towards a navy car with tinted windows, opened the passenger door to reveal a _leather interior_ and a fancy console Chad didn’t even want to think of touching. “Think of this as payback for the outfit I ruined.”

“That’s what the free labor was supposed to be,” Chad said as he and Harry had a stare-down that ended with the other teen _bodily_ picking Chad up and depositing him unwillingly into the seat.

He must have locked the door behind him because Chad couldn’t figure out how to open it again, could only pout and worry about ruining the leather when Harry slid into the driver’s seat. “Then think of it as payback for dealing with Lila all the damn time. Now I’m _going_ to get you a new outfit and it’s _going_ to be a nice one because you deserve it, and you are gonna _shut up_ about it and I dunno- pick a radio station, or something.”

“...I’m not supposed to listen to the radio,” Chad mumbled.

With an exasperated _growl_ , Harry picked a station himself, muttering quietly under his breath as he drove the car off to who knew where.

So Chad guessed he was being kidnapped.

Strangely enough, he wasn’t panicking nearly as much as he probably should be. Maybe that was just Harry’s _charm_.

...and maybe Chad was just doomed. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

After the conversation had broken down, Chad had taken to watching the Auradon scenery pass them by, trying to absorb the world around him that he rarely got to see. Despite how infrequently he traveled, Chad seemed to recognize some of the buildings they passed, which made a lot more sense when Harry eventually pulled into the drive that led up to Auradon Castle.

“I thought you said we were going _shopping_ ,” Chad hissed, staring at the place he had boldly escaped with a respectable trepidation.

“No, I said we were gonna get you clothes,” Harry countered. “Nice ones, and this is the one place I know we can get them without someone being a shit about it.”

This must be how it was like to be a rich person. Don’t like fancy boutiques? Just go to the _castle_ , problem solved. 

Chad was trembling slightly when Harry maneuvered them into some small, private parking lot that only housed a few other very fancy looking cars. Harry guided him into the castle proper before tugging him behind another hidden panel just like Lady Mal had before.

“We’ll get ye some clothes, grab ye some lunch and- I don’t know, do whatever the hell you want,” Harry decided, pulling Chad up some stairs. “Ye earned a day off.”

“No, I didn’t.” Chad wasn’t sure why he was still arguing with Harry because it wasn’t stopping him from dragging Chad through ornate hallways. “If I had watched where I’d been going-”

“She was waiting for ye,” Harry growled, pulling Chad towards a very familiar set of double doors. “Jealous _minx_. She knows you’re too nice to think it was malicious but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t.”

There were no footmen this time so Harry pulled the door open himself, guiding Chad through the royal suite until they were back in the king’s room.

“Why are we here?” Chad asked when Harry finally let him go, the other teen puttering towards the closet.

“Mal said she gave ye some of Ben’s stuff before,” Harry called from the closet. “That means it’ll fit ye. And it’ll be way nicer than anything they have in that dumb shop anyway.”

Chad took a second to process this, then found himself charging into the royal closet, which was much bigger than it looked from the outside and Chad definitely shouldn’t be there. “You can’t give me King Ben’s clothes,” he gasped, internally sobbing at the way Harry dismissively dug through such fancy garments. “They belong to the _king_.”

“Yeah, and he’ll be happy they’re going to a good home,” Harry said, tossing a few button ups onto a large ottoman before moving to a different section.

“They aren’t yours to give.”

“They weren’t _Mal’s_ either,” Harry scoffed. “But she did, and Ben didn’t care then, just like he won’t care now.”

“That’s different,” Chad pressed as Harry grabbed a handful of sweaters at random and then moved on to pants. “Mal’s his fiancé, she knows what he doesn’t wear.”

“I look at him enough to figure that out too,” Harry declared, frowning in confusion at the wide array of tan slacks that possessed subtle but noted differences. “...the fuck does he need so many pants for?”

“Because he’s the _king_.” Chad didn’t know what Harry failed to understand about that. “With kingly duties. Don’t grab those - we’re not even close to the same size.”

“You’re right,” Harry said, thankfully pulling away from the pants. “We’ll steal those from Jay. I think Evie forced him to get a pair of khakis as a punishment and he would _not_ mind losing them.” He pulled out his phone again, shoving it against his ear. “Mrs. Potts? It’s Harrison-” _Harrison_ , Harry’s real name was Harrison - what the hell? “-I’d hate to be a bother, but could you send someone to fetch a pair of pants from Jadir’s closet? They’re khakis that were _definitely_ misplaced - yes, could you send them to his majesty’s suite?” A pause. “You’re a peach, my dear. Thank you.”

“Do you know everyone who works here?” Chad asked as Harry started digging through a random drawer for socks. There were a lot of different colors.

“Just the important people,” Harry dismissed. “Hey look, blue.” He held up a pale blue pair of socks whose need Chad honestly couldn’t fathom, but then those were being chucked onto the pile of clothes too as Harry moved onto shoes. “Do ye think these would fit ye? Or do we need to order some from a catalogue?”

“Probably the second option, I’ve got small feet,” Chad replied distractedly before he realized what he said. “I don’t _need_ shoes.”

“Yes, you do.” Harry shifted his gaze between Chad’s feet to the king’s shoes and conceded his point as true. “Mal’s got a laptop around here somewhere, we can order them off that.”

“I’m not supposed to use the internet,” Chad pressed as Harry scooped up the pile of clothing and marched back into the bedroom, plopping it on the bed, not unlike Mal had the day of the ball.

“Of _course_ you’re not.” Harry rolled his eyes. “Technically, I’ll be the one using it, you just look over my shoulder and pick out a pair ye like. Maybe we can order ye another set of those,” he said, motioning to Chad’s shoes. “But, ye know, new.”

“I’m not a charity case,” Chad snapped, feeling helpless. He’d worked hard for everything he had, and it wasn’t _much_ but it was still his, and he was proud of that.

Instead of denying him, Harry snorted. “Don’t I know it. My life would be way easier if ye’d just accept some damn _presents_.” His cool gaze turned back towards Chad, pinning him in place. “Ye think I don’t know what it’s like to scavenge for everything ye need? Cuz I do. I get it. But now you’re in a place where ye can actually get nice things, so just accept the damn clothes already.” Before Chad could interrupt, the front door chimed, and Harry grabbed his wrist before striding back towards the suite entrance. “I know what happens when you’re left unattended,” he explained, so they accepted the delivered khakis together, Harry practically preening with smugness.

The showdown began when they had finally collected the last of the clothes, Chad crossing his arms stubbornly. “I’m not doing this.”

“Come _on_ ,” Harry groaned, looking up towards the ceiling in a bid for patience. “Ye work hard, ye deserve nice things - what about this is difficult?”

“Those belong to the king,” Chad snapped. “I’m not stealing from the _king_.”

“Oh, yes you are,” Harry countered, and that was the last thing Chad processed before Harry was on top of him, wrestling Chad out of his ruined sweater.

“You are such an _asshole_ ,” Chad hissed, frustrated with his inability to escape Harry’s grabby hands because he spent the majority of his time doing chores and Harry was like, a professional Tourney player or something who _yanked_ Chad’s sweater off of him like it was nothing before tossing it aside. “What is with you and your inability to take ‘no’ for an answer?”

“I like justice,” Harry countered, shoving Chad onto the bed so he could pull off the blond’s shoes one-by-one. “I like it when talented little seamstresses get presents instead of relegating themselves to the bargain bin because some _twat_ in a clothing store is too stupid to sell to him.”

“She did have a point,” Chad muttered as Harry tore his socks off, shifting up onto the bed so they could wrestle over his pants.

“No, she didn’t,” Harry hissed, pinning Chad in place as he popped the button in an easy movement. “Now, would ye just _hold still_?”

“And make this easy on you?” Chad groused. “Yeah, I think not.”

“Because evil forbid if it was _easy_ ,” Harry growled, undoing Chad’s fly in a sharp pull and this was not how Chad had envisioned ever getting stripped down by someone else. Granted, he’d always thought it would be more of a team effort and for _intimate_ reasons - but of course Harry would take this from him too, further proving to be the most contrary human being in all of existence.

Harry was in the middle of easing the pants down Chad’s hips, Chad clutching onto the nobleman’s shirt out of _spite_ , when there was the very pointed sound of a throat being cleared right next to the bed.

Both of them froze to see _the king_ standing there, looking torn between confusion and amusement, and Chad wanted to die right then and there.

“I’m glad you two seem to be getting along,” he noted, cheeks dusted pink out of embarrassment for both of them and their childish behavior.

Chad let go of Harry’s shirt so he could hide his face in his hands. “I hate you,” he mumbled. “I hate you more than I can say. More than there are words to possibly express.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Harry drawled, tugging his pants off the rest of the way now that Chad had surrendered. “I get it, you’re a drama queen.”

“I hate you,” Chad repeated stubbornly, which was maybe not the best statement he should make against the king’s friend in front of the king himself, but he had literally nothing else. “You are such an asshole. Why do people like you?”

“He’s passionate,” the king said brightly. “And he grows on you, over time.” There was a pause. “...are those Jay’s pants?”

“They’re Kit’s now,” Harry huffed as he dragged the new pants up Chad’s legs, who – out of pettiness – did very little to help him. “Since Kit’s got ruined.”

Chad sighed. “It was my-” 

“It was _not_ your fault,” Harry snapped, zipping the fly and setting Chad to appropriate rights in fast movements. “The other bloody seamstress at the shop dumped dye on him.”

Chad finally pulled his hands away from his face so he could glare at Harry. “She did _not_.”

“She did too,” Harry countered, grabbing one of the white button up shirts and wrestling it onto Chad’s frame. “And when I tried to get him new clothes at a shop, they denied us service for being too _interesting_.”

Chad flushed, because that had more to do with him than it had Harry, even if Ben seemed suitably concerned over the accusation.

“What was the shop’s name?” the king asked. “I can get them looked into-”

“It was more our fault than their’s,” Chad mumbled, flushing when Harry’s fingers scraped his torso when he buttoned the shirt onto him. “They’re used to catering to-”

“A _certain demographic_ ,” Harry sniped. “Well, fuck ‘em. I know Evie mostly specializes in girl’s clothes, so I brought him here.”

“That’s fair,” the king said, when that absolutely wasn’t fair. “Go ahead and take what you need. Hold on-” He ducked into his closet. “I think I’ve got some stuff I haven’t worn in a while you can have.”

This had Harry positively preening. “ _See?_ Told ye it would work out.”

“I hate you,” Chad muttered one last time, because it was true.

“I like ye too, Kitten.” Harry winked, forever incorrigible.

It was at that point Chad gave up, slipping the light blue sweater over his button up so Harry wouldn’t have to, reluctantly accepting the king’s clothes that would definitely be saved in the back of his closet and only be worn if he absolutely had to because they should be reserved for special people, not for Chad. 

Definitely not for Chad.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Somehow or other Chad found himself having lunch with Harry and the king, the latter of which was joined by Lady Mal, who wore an impressed smirk.

“Boys,” she greeted, running a hand through Ben’s hair before pressing a kiss to his forehead, sitting in the empty seat. “I see you decided to give away more of Ben’s clothes.”

“There’s a story to that,” Ben said before Chad could sputter an apology. “I’ll share it with you later.”

“Oooh, _gossip_ ,” she mused. “Consider me hooked.” She turned her gaze to Chad. “Hi, Kit. Harry’s not giving you too much trouble, is he?”

“Until today he’s been perfect,” Chad murmured, prodding carefully at his salad. It was very artfully arranged and also very tasty and he had no hope of ever recreating it, which was a fact that saddened him greatly.

“What?” Mal pressed a hand against her chest as though she could not fathom the very prospect. “Our Harry? The picture of _perfection_?”

“Shut up,” Harry mumbled, digging into his salad, an annoyed sort of flush building on his cheeks.

“No seriously, he behaved?” Mal pressed. “He helped you at work and acted like something that might resemble a gentleman?”

“He did,” Chad confirmed. Annoyed as he might be with Harry and his good intentions, he wasn’t going to get the guy in trouble just because Chad was embarrassed. “He’s very helpful around the shop.”

“Where I learned a lot of things,” Harry said with a stilted kind of forcefulness. “For example - Ben, Kit here is an avid reader.”

“ _You did not learn that in the shop_ ,” Chad hissed, knowing this was Harry’s way of pulling the focus off of him, but the king was already brightening up with a look of excitement.

“You are?” Ben asked, smile so wide that Mal stared at him fondly. “My mom and I are pretty big readers too. What genre do you like?”

“I stick with fiction, mostly.” Or entirely. “But I’ll um... read a little bit of everything. I like adventure and romance-” At Harry’s delighted grin, Chad flushed. “-stuff with a happy ending, I mean.”

“Yeah,” Mal hummed thoughtfully. “Why search out extra tragedy, right?”

Chad didn’t reply, but that was essentially the reason. Life could be hard enough as it was. Books for him were an escape, and he tried to keep those escapes as lighthearted and hope-filled as possible.

“You should show him the library after lunch,” Mal continued, stabbing at her salad. “You two can geek out over the _books_.”

Ben leaned towards her with a meaningful grin. “It was my understanding that you also enjoyed those _books_.”

“Just the magic ones,” Mal sniffed, though didn’t outright deny him. “So, post-lunch library visit. It’s happening.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Harry sighed, and Chad didn’t know what else to say so he settled on eating his salad.

It was, after all, rude to turn down an invitation.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Oh, wow,” Chad breathed, craning his neck up to get a better view of the _second level_ of books that surrounded an upper balcony. This place was easily three times bigger than the library in Conques, and seven times the size of the fiction section. “Oh.” He pressed a hand against his mouth to try and keep from gaping, fingers itching to trace the ornate leather bindings.

He dropped his gaze and realized that Harry was watching him with an unreadable expression on his face, likely cataloging Chad’s dumb-hick response to make fun of him later. 

Comparatively, King Ben’s expression was one of open delight, as though Chad’s awe made him nothing less than pleased. “Here,” he said, motioning for Chad to follow him. “This way. We’ve got a great selection.”

He didn’t lie. The fiction section of this library took up a full wall, both stories, and it boggled Chad’s brain to think how long it would take for one person to read them all.

“We’ve also got the novelized versions of our parents’ stories,” Ben admitted with a flush. “You know- the whole ‘Beauty and the Beast’ thing, and all the novelizations from the other kingdoms in Auradon.”

“I’ve never read those,” Chad admitted. The one time he’d expressed an interest his father had gotten very grave – at least, as grave as he ever did – before warning Chad away from those books. He never expressly forbade them, but Chad had the feeling his father preferred him to stay away from such endeavors entirely, so he had.

“They’re good,” Ben laughed. “They’re simplified and not entirely accurate, but there’s a lot of happy endings.” There was a pause, and then- “Or if you’d prefer something strictly fictional, we have a good collection of romance stories my mother likes...”

Chad was embarrassed to say that he was entirely won over by the summaries, at least until King Ben made noises about Chad _borrowing_ them. 

“King’s orders,” Mal said before he could protest. “Harry?”

“I’ll put these in the clothes bag,” the nobleman grinned, and Chad just sort of gave up all over again.

When they finally left the castle, it was with a fat duffel bag full of clothes and another bag of food Mrs. Potts sent them off with, Harry grinning the entire drive back to the alterations shop. 

Chad _finally_ won an argument and was allowed to part ways with Harry there, shouldering the duffel bag and hooking the food bag to the handles of his bike, which he then walked home because of all the _stuff_ he had.

He still got to the cottage earlier than he normally would have, and as a little treat to himself he started reading one of those books, figuring that if he had to borrow them, the least he could do was return them quickly, right?

It was the polite thing to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all! Hope this update finds you well ^_^ Thanks to the wonderfully enthusiastic response to last chapter!! All your support and feedback was very lovely, so thanks to everyone who commented, gave kudos, bookmarked, and subscribed. You really made my day!!
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> Among other changes, I decided that Harry would join Gil and Jay on their adventure, mostly because Harry is so overprotective of his second mate. He definitely wouldn’t leave him alone with *Jay*, of all people. 
> 
> I gave Chad small feet because his mom had small feet, thus making her shoes unique to only her - it seemed appropriate ^_^
> 
> Until next time :)


	3. A Daring, 'Harmless' Game

Wednesdays were Chad’s day off. On Sunday he only worked a half day, but on Wednesday he had the entire _day_ to himself, and he was sure not to waste it. He started early with chores and errands, finishing the cleaning around the cottage that he was too tired to attempt during the week. He washed and hung his laundry out to dry and started up a batch of shortbread cookies (only four ingredients and they lasted for weeks - they were an easy household staple). While those were cooling on the window sill, Chad would tend to his garden and the greenhouse his dad had built for him years ago, which Chad would slowly come to prioritize as fall claimed Auradon. He would only get a few more batches of vegetables before he was relegated to the greenhouse alone, and that plus his fishing efforts would have to hold him over until spring returned. 

Chad was in the middle of working on a patch of stubborn weeds when he heard a familiar voice calling from the front of the cottage, one Chad hadn’t realized would make a reappearance in his life.

“ _Hello?_ ” Gil called, and from the faintness of his voice he was likely walking up the path. “ _Kit? Are you home?!_ ”

“Gil?” Chad set aside his gardening tools and jogged around the side of the cottage, pulling off his dirty gloves as he did so. Sure enough, it was Gil making his way up the path with that blue-haired girl from before following a few steps behind, brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to keep her boots from snagging on any of the uneven pavers. “Gil!”

“Kit!” Gil’s face lit up in a brilliant smile at the sight of him, and at once he charged the rest of the way up the path, not so much stopping as barreling _into_ Chad and pulling him into a tight hug before lifting him off the ground entirely, spinning him in dizzying circles before hugging him close again. “I knew Harry was right!”

“H-Harry told you where I lived?” Chad stuttered, terribly aware of the solid body he was being crushed against and the fact that his feet still weren’t on the ground.

“He followed you home!” Gil chirped, seeming unphased by the violation of privacy. “Harry likes to know things; it means he cares.” 

Or that he was a helpless gossip, but Gil seemed pleased and Chad was so legitimately happy to see him that he brushed the intrusion aside, allowing himself to smile. “That’s good to know, Gil. How are you?”

“Great!” Gil was still all enthusiasm all the time and Chad found he couldn’t admire that more in a person. “Better now that I found you again. Sorry about Harry. He means well, but he’s um... cranky.”

Chad tried to swallow a laugh, though he was distracted by the melodious giggles that echoed from behind them, Gil’s friend successfully navigating the path to their side. “That he is,” she chirped, tucking a strand of silky hair behind her ear. “Hi, I’m Evie.”

“Kit,” Chad said, and then he realized with her amused grin that Gil was, in fact, _still_ holding him up, and Chad had made no effort to fight him on this. “Um- Gil?”

“Yes?” Gil perked up.

Evie stifled a laugh into her dainty palm.

“...maybe you should set me down?”

“Do I have to?” Gil asked, nuzzling his face against Chad’s shoulder. He must be even stronger than he looked because Chad wasn’t _light_ by any means and Gil was holding him up with no effort.

“I can’t shake his hand if you’re holding him, Gil,” Evie offered graciously, and with a distinct pout the noble finally set Chad down so he could try an awkward bow followed by an even more awkward handshake that Evie was kind enough to indulge.

“Um...” Though Chad was painfully aware of his disheveled state, dirt marring his work clothes and sweat clinging to his body, he was even more painfully aware of the fact that this was the point where one would normally invite the _nobility_ into the house. Except Chad couldn’t do that, because Chad wasn’t supposed to let anyone in the house. Or even let them know the house existed. That point was moot with Harry, but _still_.

“It’s a lovely day,” Chad decided with a bravado he did not feel. “Would you two like to join me on the back porch?”

“We would be delighted,” Evie murmured gently, a graceful counter to Gil’s emphatic nods.

The back porch had one of the few original furniture pieces that had come with the cottage. His father had built them a solid wooden bench for watching the sun rise and fall over the horizon, and while Chad had been offered a lot of money for it once upon a time, it was one of the few things he couldn’t bear to part with for the sake of practicality. Instead, he took tea out on it during the nicer days, offering attention to whichever animals wandered out of the forest to bid him hello. Sometimes he thought animals liked him more than people, but Chad was okay with that. At the very least you never doubted an animal’s sincerity.

“So,” Chad began when they’d settled in, Chad ending up in the middle despite his very best efforts. “Are you the same Evie that tried to teach Gil to dance? And um- wanted to knit?”

Based on what Lady Mal had said, Chad had thought Evie was from the Isle - though that confused him because she was obviously a princess - maybe one from Hanover, based on her colors. Were there other royalty among the children that had been trapped on the Isle? It was a question that Chad had no right to ask, though the curiosity was there just the same.

Evie’s grin wasn’t as bright as Gil’s, but it was no less poignant. “That’s me. Mal says you sew?”

“Enough to get by,” Chad assured, eyeing the neat seams of her day dress and feeling distinctly low class in his torn sweatpants.

“Mal says you made your ball outfit,” Gil chirped, oblivious to Chad’s unease. “And I thought that was pretty cool. That’s why I asked you to dance even though I didn’t know how to.”

That, at the very least, made Chad feel warm inside, made the drawer in which the sad remnants of his ball clothing resided less of a shame for him to ignore.

“Are those cookies?” Gil asked, narrowing his eyes at the window ledge.

“Oh, yeah.” Chad got up. “They’re shortbread. I was just making a few batches. Would you like some? And tea?” Probably should have offered that sooner.

Evie blinked. “We don’t want to impose-”

“It’s no trouble.” As though Chad could host nobility and _not_ give them something. _Stupid_ , but he’d never had to entertain guests before. He’d only ever seen it in movies, but this felt right. 

He rushed inside and set the kettle on the stove to boil, grateful that he had at the very least two mugs for when he and his father used to take tea together. For Gil and Evie he broke out his best tea - none of the teabags he continued to reuse until they were completely spent, no, he got each of them a fresh bag of the tea Mrs. Blanc had given him, a tasty ginger mix that Chad saved for special occasions. He put the mugs on a long-neglected tray and gathered up a plate of fresh cookies, setting his little honey bear and the chipped but still perfectly functional sugar caddy into place next. He poured the hot water into the mugs as soon as the kettle started whistling and brought the haul back outside, setting the lot of it down on the small wooden table that had been made to match the bench.

“It’s um, ginger,” Chad explained as he settled back between them.

“You’re not going to have any?” Gil asked, fingering his stone mug with care as he mimicked Evie’s movements for preparing his tea.

“Oh, no.” Chad forced a grin. “I actually just finished lunch.”

Which was a lie. He tried to only do two meals on Wednesday, saving dinner as the more elaborate and filling one so he’d have something to look forward to. But he liked this excuse more, it was much better than having to admit that he didn’t have three mugs. 

Gil bought the explanation with a happy grin, though Evie seemed more hesitant, narrowing her eyes in a subtle investigation before choosing to move on.

Maybe Chad was just reading into things.

“So.” Evie held her cup with a perfect sort of poise that made Chad ache inside. “I know it’s already been said, but for the record, we’re all very sorry about Harry.”

“He can be real dumb,” Gil said in a genuinely sage manner that had Chad choking on a laugh. “But he means well. I’m glad he’s working with you, though! Now he can see how cool you are.” Gil took an enthusiastic bite of his cookie. “Though like, not enough to steal you away to dance, because that was not cool.”

“On the bright side, it gave you a chance to show off your new skills to me,” Evie said, and _that_ must have been where Gil went when Harry was yanking Chad around in a polka. “Gil was actually brining me to meet you before um...”

“I shoved Harry at you and ran?” Chad muttered, staring down at his lap. “Sorry about that.”

“That’s actually a common reaction to Harry,” Evie giggled. “So you don’t have to apologize for that.”

“I’m gonna tell Uma you said that,” Gil chirped. “She’ll think it’s hilarious.” He turned to Chad. “Uma is Harry’s girlfriend.”

“Not that he’ll admit it,” Evie muttered into the rim of her cup, which helped Chad fight off the incoming panic attack because Harry had definitely sucked on his neck and flirted all the time and Chad really didn’t want to come between some upper class battle of romance.

“No,” Gil sighed like this pained him. “But they love each other so I guess that’s what’s important.” Over the course of the conversation Gil seemed to be creeping closer and closer into Chad’s personal space, until he had one muscular arm draped across Chad’s shoulders like they were bosom buddies. “Uma’s working with Mal, Evie, and Ben to come up with the new relief programs for all the Isle kids. School and adoption and healthcare and all that.” Gil said it as though it had been repeated to him many times, though he didn’t naturally understand it himself. “It’s very impressive.”

“It _is_ very impressive,” Chad agreed, feeling awed by the mere concept of it. He shyly turned towards Evie. “The things you guys are doing - it’s going to change those kids’ lives, give them the chance they always deserved. Do you um- have literature, or anything for the current Auradon citizens?” At Evie’s confused look, Chad elaborated, “So we can know how to help the transition? It’s... I mean, it’s probably a big culture shock, right? We don’t want to make things worse on accident.”

“That... is a good point,” Evie - an _actual princess_ \- said. “We’ve been focusing so much on the Isle kids and the administrative side of things that we didn’t really think about the everyman.”

“You could probably have news segments,” Chad offered with a flush. “Or um- pamphlets that are available at public libraries.” Chad’s father had expressly told him to avoid all media outside what he himself provided, but Chad had run out of things to read not long after his last visit, so he’d taken to visiting the local library. Only the fiction section, though, so he wouldn’t confuse himself with facts his father hadn’t already approved.

“See?” Gil grinned. “He’s smart. And he’s way too nice to know Audrey.”

_Again_ with this Audrey lady.

“I’ll drink to that.” Evie toasted with her mug before taking a delicate sip. “So, Kit, do you live out here alone?”

Like every time someone strayed too close to that subject (mainly Lila), Chad felt his stomach twist in uncomfortable knots. “No, it’s my father’s cottage. He travels a lot though, so I don’t see him that often.”

Or rather, he hadn’t seen him lately, but that would change eventually.

“Then it’s just you the rest of the time?” Gil pressed, frowning at the cookie in his hand.

“I’m not completely alone,” Chad insisted. “I’ve got my books and the animals.” As if on cue, the pair of Blue Jays that had taken up residence in a nearby clearing swooped down - one of them nestling in the curls on top of Chad’s head before the other started pecking crumbs off Gil’s laugh. “I’ve got plenty to keep me occupied.”

“Harry said you were homeschooled?” Evie asked, staring at the bird perched on top of Chad’s head while Gil clumsily tried to pet a finger down the back of the one on his leg.

“Yeah.” Chad flushed. “My dad’s pretty protective of me. I’m not um- actually supposed to have people here. Or go out of town. But the ball was a momentous occasion so I thought-” Chad shrugged. “I mean, everyone’s due a little teenage rebellion, right?”

“It’s kind of weird that he makes you stay here by yourself,” Gil said, further proving Chad’s hypothesis that he had no filter. “But he travels all the time. Sort of like Mother Gothel and Rapunzel, don’t you think?”

In his peripherals Chad saw Evie freeze, though it was difficult to register over the sudden wealth of shame that crashed over him. “...maybe you two should go.”

“What?” Gil blinked, not realizing his error. “Why?”

“You literally just compared my father to a villain,” Chad explained slowly, forcing his voice to remain even or else he’d start- crying, probably. That seemed like a thing he’d do. “My dad’s not a villain.”

“Gil didn’t mean it like that,” Evie rushed to say, even though the damage was done. “You have a lovely home here, Kit-”

“Thank you,” Chad interrupted before she could get to the ‘but’, because there was always a ‘but’. _You have a lovely home - **but** it’s kind of sad that you have no one to share with it. Your detail sewing work is pretty decent **but** it’s a shame that you’re too clumsy to do it for long. You have such a pretty face **but** it’s a shame about that personality_. “And thank you for the company,” he continued, because he could be polite. 

That was one of the few things he remembered from his nanny’s teachings, from his father’s murmured instructions on how to be a gentleman and a hunter.

“But I think it’s time for you to go.” Chad stood up when he said this, unsettling the birds as he deftly extricated himself from Gil’s hold, trying not to feel embarrassed, trying not to feel ashamed because he didn’t have to. This wasn’t his fault. He’d done the best he could, and so had his father. Maybe this was why he shouldn’t have guests over.

Evie pressed a hand against Gil’s arm before he could protest. “If that is what you’d like,” she said quietly. “Thank you for your hospitality, Kit. We greatly appreciate it.”

“Did I say the wrong thing?” Gil asked as Evie tugged him up from the bench, taking a hold of his wrist so she could guide the buff teen back around the front of the house. “I said the wrong thing again. Kit, I’m sorry-”

“It’s fine,” Chad said before he could disappear from view. What were Chad’s feelings to Gil anyway? They were, ultimately, inconsequential. Why the hell would they matter?

He heard them continue to murmur to one another until they were entirely out of earshot, and only then did Chad allow himself to collapse against the bench, eyeing the remnants of their tea and digging into them with a sigh.

Waste not, want not. He could console himself by being thrifty instead of wondering who the hell he thought he was rubbing elbows with nobility. He was nothing. He was Chad, fake last-name, the mediocre seamstress, and it was likely that he’d always stay that way.

It was important for him to remember that.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The next day at work was a subdued affair, Chad going through his alterations with a quiet sort of focus. Harry was uncharacteristically silent as well, helping without his usual muttered commentary. Chad was almost sorry when three o’clock rolled around, but he bid Harry his usual goodbye and went back to work.

Only to notice a few minutes later that Harry was still standing there.

“...what are you doing?” Chad asked, when it became obvious Harry wasn’t going to explain himself.

“Waiting for ye,” Harry replied with a shrug. “Figured I could drive ye home today.”

Chad froze, shooting Lila a frantic look before he tried to regain his bearings. “I um- have a few more things I have to finish up.”

“That’s okay,” Harry said, paying Lila no mind when she disappeared into the front room, likely to let Mr. Marius know what was happening. “I’ll wait.”

Chad sincerely doubted he’d be willing to wait four hours, but that would also sort of give away Chad’s consistent and unpaid overtime. 

It was a relief when Mr. Marius came into the back room followed by Lila, who settled behind her station with a huff.

“You thinking of heading out, Kit?” Mr. Marius asked innocently, placing the newest order in the ‘to-do’ pile.

“Harry was waiting on me to finish up,” Chad explained.

“Gonna give him a lift home, ye know,” Harry added. “Save him the ride.”

Mr. Marius took this in with a slow nod. “Well, you can go ahead and duck out now, if you’d like. The clothes will still be here tomorrow.”

Chad didn’t actually know what to do, but based on Lila’s expression, that wasn’t the response she had anticipated either. “Oh. Okay.”

“Let’s _go,_ ” Harry huffed, retrieving Chad’s bike and walking it to his parked car. “Do ye mind if we make a pitstop?”

“...depends on the pitstop,” Chad said, still sort of reveling in the idea of leaving work while the sun was still up. It was pretty wild.

“Ye’ll like it,” Harry decided, motioning Chad into the car. “Trust me.”

-:-:-:-:-:-

Ultimately, Chad wasn’t sure if the trust was warranted because Harry pulled them up outside a small castle with a sign saying ‘ _Evie’s 4 Hearts_ ’, which gave Chad a good idea _why_ he was there.

Sure enough, he saw Gil sprinting down the pathway the moment he got out of the car, the blond nobleman barreling into Chad with a relentless string of apologies.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured against Chad’s shoulder, bodily lifting him up once more and squeezing him close. “I’m sorry, _I’m sorry_. I didn’t think and then I said a mean thing and I didn’t _mean_ to, I just got sad- I was sad thinking of you all alone-”

“Gil,” Chad sighed, feeling a little touched and overwhelmed all at once. “It’s okay.”

“ _No, it’s not_.” Gil stubbornly shook his head. “It’s not because I made you feel bad and I don’t want to make you feel bad I want you to smile.”

Chad felt himself flushing. “ _Gil_.”

“I know I’m bad,” Gil continued stubbornly. “Cuz I’m happy Harry messed with you at the ball, because if he didn’t I might not have found you again and I wanted to find you again. You’re nice.”

“You’re not _bad_ ,” Chad pressed, and he refused to hear differently. “And there’s lots of nice people out there-”

“Like you,” Gil said, lifting Chad higher until the nobleman could wrap his arms under Chad’s thighs, coaxing Chad to part his legs so he was flush against Gil’s torso, a sort of hold you normally saw on the cover of a romance novel. “But only _you’re_ you and I’m really sorry about hurting your feelings.” He stared up at Chad with a genuine sort of earnestness that rocked Chad to his core. “You don’t have to accept my apology but I’d be really happy if you did, and then maybe we could have a redo of yesterday except you eat the cookies I baked _you_ and you can tell me about yourself and complain about Harry.” Gil nuzzled his face against Chad’s chest. “Can we do that?”

It was impossible not to melt under such honesty, almost as impossible as it was to ignore the way Harry watched both of them with an unreadable expression. 

Eventually, Chad swallowed. “We can do that,” he said quietly, managing a shaky nod. “I forgive you, Gil.”

“Yes!” Gil seemed to sort of bounce with joy, making Chad bounce with him and be very aware of their compromising position. “Come on,” he said, switching Chad into a bridal carry between one moment and the next. “Let’s go inside!”

“Gil!” Chad flushed as the blond charged back up the drive, Chad left with no choice but the cling to Gil for dear life. 

“This is going to be good,” Gil said, smiling so bright Chad couldn’t deny him. “It’s going to be very good.”

And for the life of him, Chad couldn’t disagree.

-:-:-:-:-:-

That was what found him in some sort of living room – of which there were multiple – cuddled in Gil’s lap while the nobleman did his best to ignore any and every kind of personal boundary and for whatever reason Chad didn’t mind in the slightest even though it was, without question, _weird_. That sort of seemed like one of Gil’s qualities though, to make eccentric things seem normal, so Chad didn’t question it, because it wasn’t like he had much frame of reference for normal social behavior anyway. 

“-and _this_ is after Mal asked Uma to be a bridesmaid,” Gil said, pointing at a picture in the scrapbook nestled in Chad’s lap, Chad’s back against Gil’s broad chest as the nobleman cradled him between two large arms. He had his chin hooked on Chad’s shoulder, and occasionally Gil would tilt towards him, his lips so very _close_ to Chad’s neck that he thought he might go crazy from it. “She had us hide in the bushes so we could get a reaction shot.”

“ _Ach_ ,” Harry sighed from his spot sprawled across the loveseat, watching the two of them with an expression of amusement. “Ye should have seen how flabbergasted she was. Like Mal had any other friends.”

“Mal has other friends,” Gil defended valiantly. “It’s just that Uma’s one of the best ones, which is obvious, because _Uma’s_ the best. Right, Harry?”

“Right,” Harry agreed with a hum, letting his eyes fall closed as he settled back against the cushions, as though preparing for a nap.

“Mal’s letting me be a bridesmaid too,” Gil continued, the arm curled around Chad’s waist holding him tighter in an expression of enthusiasm. “Since she only has Evie and Uma and Jane. She wanted Jay to be one too but-” Gil lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “-he won’t give her an answer. I think he’s too shy to do it.”

“Or he can’t pull off the dress,” Harry scoffed.

“Do we have to wear a dress?” Gil asked, taking the joke at face value. “Mal said I could wear pants-”

“I think he was kidding, Gil,” Chad assured him, squeezing his arm.

“…good,” Gil sighed. “I don’t think I could pull off a dress. Like, _you_ could,” he continued, squeezing Chad’s hip. “But I definitely couldn’t.”

“…wouldn’t that be a sight?” Harry mused, turning onto his side so he could prop his head up in the palm of his hand, giving them a lazy stare. “Kit in one of Evie’s creations. Think ye could manage the heels?”

“I can barely manage my own shoes,” Chad muttered, ducking his head as a flare of heat spread across the bridge of his nose. “So probably not.”

“Aww, that’s a shame,” Gil sighed, abandoning the scrapbook so he could grab under Chad’s right knee, which Chad didn’t understand the need for until Gil raised it up to Chad’s chest, turning his leg so he could get a look at Chad’s foot. “You’ve got such small feet. You’d look real dainty.”

“ _Gil_ ,” Chad hissed, nudging Gil’s bicep. “Put me down, please.”

“What?” Gil blinked, then released Chad’s leg. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for that,” Harry ordered because he was a snot. “Wouldn’t have known how flexible Kit was, otherwise.”

“I do daily stretches,” Chad defended, drawing both knees towards his chest so he could rest the scrapbook against them. “It’s good for your long-term health.”

“That’s smart,” Gil chirped, a dopey grin spilling over his face. “Could you show me next time you come over?”

“That’s assuming there _is_ a next time,” Harry grumbled, shifting onto his back now that he’d gotten bored of them. “Why couldn’t ye do it _this_ time?”

“Because _this_ time I’m apologizing to Kit,” Gil explained as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Which means I need to feed him and love him and cuddle him.” Before Chad could really process that, an alert went off on Gil’s phone, causing the blond to shift in his seat. “The cookies!” he exclaimed, dumping the scrapbook onto the coffee table before transitioning Chad to the couch with more dedicated care. “I’ll be right back!”

He bounded away with a few large strides, disappearing down the stairs in a blur of movement that Chad just kind of stared after.

“…stupid shit,” Harry sighed, though he sounded terribly fond, the corners of his lips pulling up in the hint of a smile. “Now ye know why we have to be protective of him. He gets invested in people easily.”

“…I see that,” Chad said, thinking about how thoughtlessly Gil had thrown out the word ‘love’ and wishing it didn’t wreck him so easily.

“Do ye?” Harry challenged, cocking a brow at Chad. “‘Cuz friendship with Gil’s a commitment. If you want out now, ye best say so, and I’ll sort things out after ye leave tonight. Otherwise-”

“I don’t want out,” Chad interrupted, spurred by a terrible panic. Now that Chad had been offered the gift of Gil’s friendship, he didn’t want to be without it, even if the casual affection and the easy disruption of personal boundaries was overwhelming in almost every way. 

Harry gave him a considering stare, one that seemed to reach into the very pit of Chad’s soul before he eventually nodded, though whether it was in approval or not, Chad did not know.

“Alright, then,” he allowed. “You’re in. I’m warning ye now, though, if ye _ever_ try to take advantage of him-”

“I already have a good idea of what you’ll do,” Chad mumbled, staring down at his lap as he revisited the shame of the ball, of staring Mal and Ben down in tattered clothes with a hickey on his neck.

“ _That_ ,” Harry began, voice a low growl. “-is _nothing_ compared to what I will do.”

It was a pledge; one Harry knew full well he could make good on. That was the attitude that came with power, Harry reminding Chad that no matter how ‘friendly’ they might get that Harry was rich and connected and Chad was _nothing_ , and no one would care if he just disappeared one day.

“Understand?” Harry pressed, gaze sharper than a sword.

“…yes,” Chad replied softly. He wanted to curl in on himself as though it would protect him, wrap his arms around his legs and pretend Gil was hugging him again, but he didn’t want Harry to think he was weak, even if he actually was.

“Good,” Harry decided. “That said-”

“I have cookies!” Gil exclaimed as he burst back into the room, plate of delectable treats held above his head. He almost lost a few in his effort to slide them onto the table, but through what could only be Gil’s special talent, he saved them all. He wasted no time pulling Chad into his lap again, letting Chad settle sideways so they could look at each other more easily. “Here,” he said, pressing a cookie against Chad’s lips. “Try it, try it, try it- I promise it’s good. Evie watched me make them and everything.”

“T-thanks, Gi- _ugh-_ ” Chad cut off when the other teen shoved the cookie into his mouth, his surprise shifting into a groan at the delicious flavors that melded together on his tongue. The cookie had chunks of chocolate in it surrounded by a warm, gooey center that Chad was mesmerized by. He was so taken with it that he didn’t realize he was eating from Gil’s hand until he was practically licking the other teen’s fingers, and Gil seemed entirely unbothered by it. 

“Another?” Gil said when Chad pulled back, a flush blossoming in his cheeks. “Another!”

“Gil-” That was all Chad managed to get out before he was being fed again, and he shot Harry a look that the nobleman only laughed at, snagging a few cookies of his own and taking an obnoxious bite out of them.

“Gil,” Chad tried again after that cookie was done. “What about you?”

“What?” Gil had the third cookie pressed against Chad’s lower lip. “Oh. I guess we could share.”

And then he just- leaned forward and bit the _other_ side of the cookie that was in Chad’s mouth, bringing them so very close together and Chad knew this was just- a Gil thing, he didn’t know it was- but it was still so very _intimate_.

Harry started laughing at them, shaking Chad from his reverie enough to pull back from Gil’s innocent bites. “ _Oh_ ,” he mused, staring down at his phone. “Uma’s gonna _love_ these pictures.”

“Can I see?” Gil asked, thumbing the last few pieces of cookie into Chad’s mouth. “Maybe I could add them to the scrapbook.”

Harry waved him off. “I’ll show ye later. For now, focus on snuggling Kit.”

“He’s um- already done a good job,” Chad said. “And uh- the cookies are amazing Gil, very good but um- maybe we should take a break now, so we don’t spoil our dinner?”

Gil, who’d had cookie number four held up for consideration, let it fall to the plate with a blink. “Oh, yeah. Good idea, Kit!” He aimed a bright smile at Harry. “He’s so responsible. Mal wonders if any of that has rubbed off on you.”

Watching Harry sputter was everything Chad needed in life. “I’m responsible enough, thank ye.”

“ _Surrrre_ ,” Gil hummed, not seeming like he entirely believed that fact. At all. “If we’re done with cookies, we should play a game! Like, um…” He frowned. “Well, maybe not Tourney…”

“How ‘bout Truth or Dare?” Harry asked with a wag of his brows. “Ye heard of that one?”

“It seems pretty straight forward,” Chad grumbled. He’d read mentions of the game in some of his books, though the characters rarely went through with it. “You pick one or the other, right?”

“Right.” Harry grinned. “So, what will it be, then?”

“For me?” Chad asked, pointing to himself.

“Sure.” Harry shrugged. “Ye may as well start us off.”

“Um…” The point of truth or dare, as far as Chad knew, was to be committed. And the fact of the matter was that there were too many truths Chad couldn’t tell either of his new friends, which left him with only one option. “Dare.”

Apparently, this had not been the answer Harry was expecting. “ _Ah_ , so the kitten has claws, does he?” the nobleman drawled, tilting his head in interest. “Alright. I dare ye to… let Gil test how _flexible_ ye are.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” Gil asked before Chad could respond, not that he knew how to. Was there a way to object in truth or dare? He wished he hadn’t gone first.

“Let him rest on the couch like me,” Harry explained, and it was almost comical how fast Gil managed that. Between one second and the next Chad was blinking up at the ceiling, missing Gil’s warmth and wondering how he’d gotten there. “Now, grab his ankles and start pushing them up towards his head.”

“I don’t think I’ll get that high,” Gil said, though he followed the directions dutifully, his hands warm against Chad’s ankles. “I mean, _I_ can barely touch my toes so there’s no way…” He trailed off when he managed to get Chad’s feet near his head with relative ease, Chad blushing all the while. “ _Wow_ , you’re bendy.”

“ _Very_ bendy,” Harry said, holding up his phone to take another picture.

“You can let go now,” Chad decided, shifting uneasily. “Since you saw how flexible I was.”

“Right,” Gil chirped, and he immediately let go of Chad’s legs, pulling him back up in the sitting position in one easy movement. “Harry, truth or dare?”

“Well, I can’t let the kitten out do me, can I?” Harry drawled, rolling onto his side. “I say _dare_.”

“Okay.” Gil shared a giant grin with Chad. “I dare you to um… _oh_!” He snapped his fingers as though struck by a sudden burst of inspiration. “I dare you to call Ben and tell him he has a very pretty smile and that you think about him when you’re in bed at night.”

“ _I do not!_ ” Harry snarled, pulling himself into the sitting position with a scowl. “I’m not doing that-”

“Then you get a _penalty_ ,” Gil sang, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. He turned his attention to Chad. “That’s what happens when you chicken out.”

Harry sputtered. “I’m not chickening _-_ ”

“Then call him,” Gil pressed, bouncing in his seat. “And remember – you have to say he has a pretty smile _and_ that you-”

“I remember what you said!” Harry snapped, shifting to his feet in a blaze of anger. He tapped at his phone screen in jerked movements before thrusting the thing against his ears, beginning to pace angrily behind the couch. “Ben, it’s Harry,” he drawled, sliding into his usual shell of obnoxiousness to cover up his embarrassment. “No, there’s no problem, I just wanted to say…” He sent Gil a withering look. “I just wanted to say that you have a _very pretty_ smile and I think about ye when I’m in bed at night… in a totally platonic and power-hungry way,” he added in a rush. “ _Goodbye_.” With that he hung up, shoving the phone back in his pocket. “There, are you happy?”

“Very,” Gil giggled. “Okay, my turn! I pick dare.” He turned to stare at Chad expectantly.

“Um…” Chad blinked, then decided to take a stroke of inspiration from Gil. “…I dare you to carry Harry around the outside of the house three times. The same way you picked me up when I first arrived.”

Gil’s smile spread impossibly wide. “ _Deal_.”

He said this over Harry’s vocal protests, lugging the nobleman over his shoulder as he sprinted down the stairs. 

Chad followed after them, smiling brightly until they were out on the front lawn, Gil thrusting his phone at Chad before shifting Harry in the proper position.

“Put me _down_ , ye lug!” Harry snarled, grappling onto Gil’s shoulders so he wouldn’t fall down, angry flush spreading down his neck as Gil securely wrapped his arms beneath Harry’s butt. “This isn’t _my_ dare!”

“Nope, it’s mine!” Gil chirped, then took off jogging with Harry bouncing against him all the way. 

After a few moments, Chad realized Gil had turned his phone to camera mode, and Chad managed to figure out how to work it by the time Gil finished his first loop.

“Smile for the camera, guys!” Chad cheered, deciding to take a video of the occasion because Harry’s expression was too precious otherwise.

“Hi, camera!” Gil cheered.

Harry’s own contribution was a string of curses that weren’t fit to be repeated in polite company until they disappeared around the corner of the house. 

It was about this time Evie wandered onto the front lawn, blinking at the trail of commotion. “…what is going on?”

“Truth or dare,” Chad explained. “I think I really like this game.”

“You seem to have it figured out real quick,” she agreed. “Has Harry been mean to you guys?”

“He probably will be now,” Chad admitted. “Gil made him call King Ben and tell him his smile was pretty.”

That startled a laugh out of her. “I wish I had been there,” she crooned. “Harry always underestimates Gil. I don’t know _why_ , since they’ve known each other forever…” She trailed off as Gil made another appearance, Harry’s flush having intensified since they last saw him. “Hey, guys!”

“Hi, Evie!” Gil slowed to a halt, Harry scowling and struggling in his grip. Pressed chest-to-chest like that, they really were a sight to behold. “You’re home early.”

“We had a meeting that ran through lunch so Ben let us off early,” Evie explained. “Carlos and Doug are still out though, and Jane’s taking the others back-to-school shopping.”

“That’s all well and good,” Harry snarled. “But either put me _down_ or finish your stupid dare, ye big lug.”

“I didn’t say he had to take all three laps at once,” Chad pointed out, still keeping the camera pointed at Gil and Harry. “Or that he couldn’t take breaks.” 

A slow grin broke over Gil’s face. “Hey, he’s right!” he chirped, turning to press his forehead against Harry’s. “As long as I’m holding you, I’m still following the rules.”

“And it looks like Harry greatly enjoys being held by you,” Evie mused, sending Harry a knowing look that Chad didn’t quite understand even if it made the nobleman flush. “Want to take a break, Gil?”

“I _do_ like having Harry this close,” Gil said, nuzzling Harry’s chest the same way he’d done with Chad earlier. “And you feel really good-”

“If ye don’t finish this soon I _will_ hook ye,” Harry snarled, flexing in Gil’s grip. Like every other time he tried this, it got him nowhere, because Gil had some kind of super human strength. Maybe it was a genetics thing.

“We could go to dinner,” Evie offered. “Long as you keep Harry like that…”

Harry’s flush darkened. “Shut it, _princess_.” 

“I don’t think they’d let us sit like this.” Gil seemed legitimately pained by this. “Unless it was at the castle. Do you think Ben would let us eat with him?”

“Probably.” Evie grinned. “He’d be grateful at the excuse to take a break, at the very least.”

Over the course of the conversation, Harry’s face got more and more flushed, until at last Chad took pity on him. “Alright guys, we’ve had our fun.” He motioned for Gil to continue. “Finish your lap, Gil.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Gil sighed, pouting against Harry’s shoulder. “I want more dares like this, though.”

Harry scowled. “You’re such a stupid- _ack!_ ” He wasn’t prepared for Gil to break into a sprint, or the bouncing chaos that would follow as they disappeared around the corner.

It seemed that Evie was only just managing to hold onto her composure because she immediately started laughing, leaning against Chad for support.

“You’re too nice to him,” she said between giggles. “ _Wow_ , Mal is going to be so mad she missed this. _Thank you_.”

“My pleasure.” Chad grinned, her amusement contagious. “Would you like to play with us?”

“After seeing that? _Definitely_.”

By the time Gil made it to the front of the house, Harry practically _leapt_ off of him, shoving his way past Chad and Evie with a forceful bluster that the rest of them politely ignored. He was already waiting for them by the time they made it back to the lounge, his arms folded across his chest.

“It’s _your_ turn next,” he snapped, pointing a finger at Evie. “Truth or Dare?”

Evie considered her options for about half a second. “ _Dare_.”

A wicked smile spread across Harry’s face. “I was hoping ye’d say that.” With a dramatic flourish, he motioned towards Chad. “Princess, could ye dress up Kitten here like a girl, please?”

“ _Harry_ ,” Chad groaned, feeling himself blush when Gil perked up with interest.

“That’s my dare,” Harry sang. “Take it or take the penalty.”

“What _is_ the penalty?” Chad asked, aiming this question at Evie.

She shuddered. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

Chad sighed. “In that case, I guess I’m in your hands.”

It didn’t help that Evie looked as excited by this as Harry did. “Lucky _me_.”

Strangely enough, she even seemed to _mean_ it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all! Hope everyone is doing well in their crazy days of quarantine ^_^. So far everything's been okay in my area. I've gotten a lot of writing done, and I can't wait to share it with you guys! 
> 
> Thanks to everyone for the lovely support!!! I appreciate every comment, kudo, bookmark, and subscription! It always makes my day to see those alerts, so thank you :D
> 
> Story Notes:
> 
> Did some research on long lasting cookies with limited ingredients, and shortbread seemed to be generally agreed upon as falling under both categories. 
> 
> I dunno, I guess I have a thing for people feeding Chad, since I shove it into so many stories *apparently* ;D
> 
> Don’t ask me why my mind decided Chad needed to be in drag, I do not have answers for you. Seriously, I do not :P
> 
> And what is the penalty? Good question! Feel free to leave your own suggestions as to what you think the VKs would consider a monstrous penalty ;D
> 
> Until next time :)


	4. Dress to Impress

Evie took a hold of Chad’s wrist with a grin, tugging him through the castle until they got to a place that was likely her bedroom. It was certainly a room fit for royalty – elegant and chic in a floral pallet accented by wood and rich textiles. Chad took a seat at her vanity as instructed, Evie turning the chair away from the mirror before she began riffling through her supplies. Across the room was a desk surrounded by corkboards _covered_ in designs, each of them luxurious and beautiful. The sheer detail of some of them made Chad’s fingers twitch, wishing he could come up with outfits even _half_ as good as Evie’s, even if there was a clear distinction between their level of talent.

That was all Chad was able to absorb before Evie started applying makeup to his face, explaining the process as she went. There was _foundation_ and _concealer_ and something called _contour_ which was a ‘girl’s best friend’, and then there was powder and a whole slew of eye stuff Chad had to try really hard to sit still for. She even glued fake _lashes_ onto his eyes, which was a trial in itself, though eventually Chad managed to hold appropriately still. She added _rouge_ to his cheeks and painted his lips a sort of red that made them look ‘pouty’ which he guessed was a good thing before working on his curls, which apparently needed _hydration_ and _mouse_ but not like the animals that lived near Chad’s cottage. 

It was almost a relief to get pulled towards her bathroom, even though that meant more unfamiliar things.

“Do you shave?” Evie asked while Chad consciously avoided looking in the mirror.

“…not really.” Chad just had one of those faces, he guessed, which was an honest relief because that was one less thing for him to figure out.

“It’s not hard,” Evie declared, and then she explained the process of wetting his skin, using the shaving cream and then _carefully_ running the razor across his skin before cleaning everything away with a washcloth, and also he was supposed to do this to his legs.

“ _Evie_ ,” Chad hissed, as she motioned for him to undo his pants. “I can’t-”

“We commit to perfection or we take the penalty,” Evie pledged solemnly, and with a sigh, Chad took the shaving cream and razer away from her. 

He was able to get her to leave though, so he wouldn’t be sitting around in his underwear with a _princess_ nearby. Shaving was… weird, but it was sort of nice having smooth legs _and_ Chad managed not to nick himself, so he considered it an overall win. He was sort of in good spirits by the time he made it to Evie’s closet, even if that dwindled some when he saw her selected clothing.

“Perfection,” Evie reminded him, as though that could explain away the _panties_ that _might be hers_ or the stockings and garter belt and- “You have small feet, so these might work,” she said, comparing a red set of heels to his shoes.

At the very least the rest of the outfit was tame, though the dress was kind of short, but she had paired it with a jacket that covered a lot, and had a selection of jewelry for Chad to consider.

“These are clip-ons,” she explained, holding up the earrings. “So you don’t have to worry about having pierced ears.”

“This is…” Chad stared at the lot of it, feeling his stomach sink. “A lot.”

“Hey.” Evie’s voice was gentle when she spoke up, pulling his focus from the clothes. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. He said I had to dress you up but he never said we had to _show_ him the results. I’m totally willing to swear that you held up your end of the bargain.”

At once, the nerves in Chad’s stomach seemed to settle, because maybe _this_ was what friendship was like. “Thank you, Evie,” he said with a grin. “But we’ve already come this far, haven’t we?”

“As long as you’re sure,” Evie said. “Do you need me to explain anything? Or should I just let you go?”

“I’m good,” Chad decided, figuring it would be more uncomfortable with Evie there.

Trying the clothes on was. Um. A thing. 

The panties were weird and small and silky, and they tied together at each of his hips so they were _adjustable_ , and Chad hated how he looked distinctly _bulky_ in them. The garter belt took some more time to figure out, and when Chad pulled on the stockings he was glad Evie had made him shave, because otherwise it would have been _way_ less comfortable. 

The dress was shorter on him than it seemed on the hanger, ending mid-thigh, feeling like one stray wind would expose the dumb panties, but thankfully the neck was high and the chest area sort of ruched to hide the fact that he was definitely a dude. 

Chad was grateful for the jacket – the only fixture of normalcy, even if it was _leather_ and bright red, two things Chad wouldn’t pick for himself, it complimented the black dress and stockings well. The jewelry was… weird, Chad ending up with more bracelets and rings in addition to a slew of necklaces and the earrings and there were even red and black fingerless gloves and maybe Evie could pull all of this off, but Chad was pretty sure he looked like a doofus.

The heels just _barely_ fit, but he managed them, hobbling out of the closet with as much grace as he could manage, which was not much. Overall, he wasn’t sure how successful Evie was, but at least Harry would get a laugh out of this and feel better about the trial Gil had put him through.

“Oh.” Evie clapped a hand to her mouth when she caught sight of him. “ _Wow_ , I am good.”

“…is it okay?” Chad asked. “I don’t look stupid?”

“Fuck no, you don’t,” Evie said, and it was so strange to hear her curse that Chad didn’t fight her when she tugged him towards the mirror. “Joke’s on Harry, you look gorgeous. Of course, I always thought you would…”

She kept talking but Chad didn’t hear her, stunned by the reflection that greeted him in the mirror. Were it not for the fact that he _knew_ it was him, he wouldn’t have believed it, because blinking back at him was an edgy sort of girl that was a little bigger than Evie. The makeup made his eyes _pop_ and even though the lashes felt weird they were… they were really pretty. _All_ of it was really pretty and it was him, in the dumb short skirt and almost-too small shoes. He looked _fashionable_ , even though he shouldn’t because boys weren’t supposed to dress like girls, he wasn’t supposed to be like this _at all_. 

“Soaking it in?” Evie asking, giving him an amused look that indicated she may have tried getting his attention a couple times.

Chad flushed. “I um- I didn’t think this would…” He motioned to the mirror. “I thought I would look way worse. Not that I doubted your skills-” he rushed to add.

“No,” Evie laughed. “I get it.” She offered him her arm, cocking her head towards the door. “Shall we rejoin them? We left them unsupervised for quite a while. There’s been no screaming though and the castle hasn’t burned down, so I guess they’ve been well behaved.” 

“Y-yes,” Chad decided, taking her arm. “Yes, let’s go.”

Walking in heels was not Chad’s greatest talent, but with Evie’s help he managed to get a semi-graceful stride. They bypassed the stairs completely, following the sound of Harry and Gil’s voices towards what Chad guessed was a dining room. 

“- _and then he ruined it by **lying**_ ,” Gil was saying. “ _Cuz Harry **totally** thinks of Ben when he’s in bed-_”

“ _I do **not**_ ,” Harry snarled, and that was about all they heard before Evie pushed the door open, guiding Chad into the room.

It was then, of course, that Chad realized the other two had to be talking to someone _else_ because both of them had been there for Harry’s dare. They seemed to be recounting this tale to _Mal_ who was poised at the end of the table, her feet up on another chair as she looked at Gil’s phone, likely giggling at the footage Chad had shot earlier. At Evie and Chad’s entrance, she raised one perfectly manicured brow, sending Evie a curious look.

Gil’s response was more positive, a momentary surprise immediately followed by a brilliant grin, and Harry-

Harry just stood there, staring at Chad like he was a ghost or maybe a monster, but _definitely_ not like he should be there. 

It made Chad’s stomach sink like a rock, had him fumbling to take a step backwards even when Evie’s grip tightened on his arm.

Ben’s voice cut through the silence before someone could do something drastic. “Food’s here!” he announced, walking into the room with two large paper sacks. “Guys, just because we _can_ order everything on the menu doesn’t mean you _should_. At least stick to the stuff that we know someone likes, otherwise…” He trailed off when he noticed Chad and Evie. “Oh, hey Evie. I didn’t realize we had company.” He set the sacks on the table, then turned to offer Chad a polite bow. “I’m Ben,” he said with a soft grin. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Beside Chad, Evie shoved a hand against her mouth, trying to smother her giggles.

Did he-? Did he _not_ recognize Chad? Was he actually being serious or-?

“Kit!” Gil cheered, storming up beside Chad and lifting him in a bear hug. “You look so pretty!”

“ _Kit?!_ ” Mal choked somewhere behind them, but Chad couldn’t pay attention to that because he was too busy trying to hold his skirt down while Gil _spun_ them.

Thankfully, Evie put a stop to it. “That’s enough, Gil,” she ordered, patting his shoulder. She turned her attention to Mal, who was still wearing an expression of surprise. “Where’s Uma?”

Mal blinked, and then her shoulders seemed to slump. “With Jay, keeping his dumb ass company.”

“…Wait,” Ben said, still staring between the others and Chad. “That’s- are you actually…?”

“Um…” Chad blushed furiously. “Yes. We were playing truth or dare.”

Ben just sort of stared at him, and then strangely enough, his cheeks dusted pink. “That um… explains Harry’s phone call, then.”

“Nah, he’s been wanting to say that for a while,” Gil said, setting Chad down with expert care.

_That_ seemed to snap Harry out of his stupor. “Shut _up_ , Gil.”

“Notice how he didn’t deny it?” Evie mused, starting to set the food out on the table, deftly maneuvering around the plates and silverware that had already been set.

“That’s cuz it’s _obviously_ not _true_ ,” Harry snapped, but Ben was smiling and Mal was cackling and Harry gave up on all of them and went to get everyone drinks. 

“Um.” Chad fidgeted with his coat. “So um… do I go change now?”

Evie shot him a look. “After all the work we did?” she scoffed. “No way.”

“Right.” He should have figured that much, and sort of wished he had kept his own underwear on.

Before he could get more uneasy, Gil snatched his hand. “You should sit by me!” he declared tugging Chad towards his seat.

Chad ended up between Gil and Mal, Ben and Evie flanking Harry on the other side of the table, who seemed to spend the majority of his time _not_ looking at Chad. It was stupid, because it had been _Harry’s_ dare, but Chad pushed past his annoyance. Everyone else seemed unphased by the change, some bashfully requesting pictures. Gil had been enthusiastic about his request but dimmed under Evie’s reminder to get permission, but he _had_ waited and he would have respected Chad’s answer if he’d said no. But it was Gil, and Chad liked making Gil happy so he’d said yes, and then he’d said yes to Evie because she was the one who made him over and he said yes to Mal and Ben because they were the _royal couple_ and then he pretended not to notice how Harry hadn’t asked because Harry was stupid.

Dinner was nice, and it turned out they’d ordered one of everything for Chad’s benefit so he could have a chance to ‘try everything’, and they packed up the leftovers of what he did like so he could take it home (over his protests) before making their way back up to the lounge. They scattered among the couches, Chad ending up in Gil’s lap the same way he’d been earlier, with his back against the nobleman’s chest, their legs spread out in front of them, shoes kicked off onto the floor. Chad was conscious of the thin material that blocked Gil’s arm from his torso where it laid across his waist, but that was just Gil, it wasn’t intentional, and if he thought nothing of it, neither would Chad. 

“We are resuming the game!” Mal announced, sprawling across Ben and Evie’s laps. “Though I have decided it is now ‘dare or dare’, since you guys have apparently decided _truths_ are for ninnies.”

“It’s for the weak, is more like it,” Harry scoffed, consciously not looking at any of them.

“The rest of us have gone,” Gil declared, tucking his chin against Chad’s shoulder. “So it’s Ben or Mal’s turn.”

“I’ll go,” Ben volunteered, bringing home the point that Chad was playing a game with the _king_. He was dressed up like a girl in front of the _king_. “And I guess I pick dare.”

“Excellent choice,” Mal cackled. “Ben, I dare you to sit in Harry’s lap until his next turn.”

Ben shrugged, a more restrained response to Mal’s dare than Harry’s _squawk_. “Sure, that’s easy enough.”

“ _Mal_ ,” Harry hissed, though it was cut off when Ben just- set himself in the nobleman’s lap, offering Harry an easy grin that he seemed incapable of registering, his cheeks flushed a furious shade of red.

It was sort of nice to see Harry flustered, and Chad reveled in it while Mal took her turn. “I pick dare!” she cheered. “Come on, Evie, _dare_ me.”

“Hmm…” Evie tapped her chin as though lost in thought, her gaze drifting across the room. Eventually, it settled on Chad’s legs. “Got it. I dare you to remove Kit’s stockings using _only_ your teeth.”

“Child’s play,” Mal huffed, but Chad was a few seconds behind because that meant.

“You don’t um, have to do that,” he said, even as Gil turned them so they were sitting on the couch properly, Chad sitting in the V of his legs. “I mean-”

“Dare’s a dare,” Mal said, just- _crouching_ in front of him. “Let me know if you get uncomfortable though and we’ll figure out something else.”

“O-okay.” No one else had ducked out on their dares though, and Chad didn’t want to be the first, even though this was technically Mal’s dare. She was careful when she nudged his skirt up, just enough to reveal the garter fasteners. She leaned forward, taking it in her mouth, and Chad had to make a conscious effort to ignore the fact that her mouth was very much _right there_ , touching skin that had never been explored by anyone else. It was substantially worse when she got to the fasteners on the inside of Chad’s thighs, making him use every ounce of control he had because he was _young_ and she was very pretty and right there and he was not wearing a whole lot of clothing and he _couldn’t_ get aroused now. That would be the very worst thing because they’d all _see_ , as here were basically two layers of thin material between his crotch and their gazes and that should _not_ be exciting. 

Chad was biting at his lip by the time she started dragging the stockings down, his fingers trembling against Gil’s forearms that were still wrapped around his waist. He stayed as still as he could so Mal could tug them off, and when she did she clutched the dark sheer material between her teeth with a triumphant grin, giving Evie a haughty look. 

“ _Did it_ ,” she declared around her prize.

“Good job, Mal,” Ben cheered, giving her a soft round of applause. “Who’s next?”

It might be Chad, but he’d already been involved in two other people’s dares, so he was willing to guess Gil, who was chomping at the bit for an opportunity to go. Chad was about to point to the blond when it seemed like everyone’s phones started vibrating, all of them reaching for the devices around the same time.

Mal let out a low curse. “That dumb _fuck_ ,” she muttered, tucking her phone away. “Alright, we’re gonna have to call a time out.”

“Is everything okay?” Chad asked, frowning as Gil slid him off his lap, the other blond giving him an apologetic look.

“With us and the kingdom? Sure,” Mal drawled. “With idiot friends who felt like drinking too much? _Nope_.”

Evie sighed, but offered Chad a soft grin. “It’s nothing you need to worry about, Kit. We just need to go look for someone, is all.”

“For the sake of everyone else,” Harry muttered, though he seemed properly abashed under Ben’s reproachful look.

“You stay here, Kit,” Evie said as the others began to get up. “In fact, why don’t you go ahead and spend the night? You can drive to work with Harry in the morning.” 

“Oh.” Chad supposed that made sense, since he was mostly wearing Evie’s stuff anyway. “Okay. Thank you, Evie.”

She gave him a reassuring grin. “You’re welcome, Kit.”

“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” Gil said, wrapping an arm around Chad’s shoulders and giving him a quick squeeze before he followed after Mal, who more or less stormed down the stairs the moment she could. The others followed at a more sedate pace, Ben and Evie giving apologetic looks before they, too, were gone. 

For lack of anything else to do, Chad gathered up the heels and stocking and returned to Evie’s room, setting them neatly aside. He decided to go ahead and change back into his own clothes, taking off the garter belt first because without the stockings it just sort of flapped against his thighs. 

It was at this point something _thudded_ against Evie’s window, which was all the warning Chad got before a complete and total stranger crawled into what was definitely a second story room.

“… _fuck_ ,” the teen – who was tall and muscular and seemingly of Agrabah descent – muttered, staring up at the ceiling as though it had greatly wronged him in life. There was a beat before Chad caught the stench of _alcohol_ , and all at once he realized this must be the wayward friend they were looking for. “Fucking… _fuck_ trees.”

“Are you okay?” Chad asked, wondering if he should approach the intoxicated stranger or not. Did he need water? Chad was pretty sure you were supposed to hydrate when you got drunk, though he’d mostly picked that knowledge up from Lila’s off-hand remarks.

Drunk guy’s head swiveled towards him in a perilous lurch, squinting up at Chad for a moment before a delayed smile spread across his face. “I’m better now that you’re here, _baby_ ,” he drawled, slowly clambering to his feet.

Oh. Okay, he was a lot taller standing up. And _very_ drunk.

“…maybe you should lie down,” Chad said, taking a tentative step away as drunk guy started swaying towards him.

“With you?” Drunk guy asked, making a show of looking over Chad’s body. “It would be my _pleasure_.”

“I meant on the bed.” Chad flushed. “Without me. Without me on the bed.”

“But that would be so _lonely_ ,” Drunk guy moaned, stumbling to a wavering halt in front of Chad. “Hey,” he said, pointing a finger at Chad. “Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?”

“What?” Chad was- he did not have an answer to that.

“Feel my shirt?” Drunk guy continued, snatching Chad’s hand with unfathomable dexterity and pressing it against his torso. “It’s made of _boyfriend material_.”

“You don’t want to date me,” Chad flushed, feeling partly flattered and partly confused and mostly weirded out. “Trust me.”

“No, you should trust _me_ ,” Drunk guy said, petting Chad’s hand, swaying towards him with a flirtatious grin. “Cuz believe it or not, I’m capable of- of _knowing_ things I want. And sure,” he continued, moving to Chad’s other hand. “Maybe I’m _not_ a catch. Frankly, you’d be better off without me. I’m a damn mess. And you- you’ve got your shit together.” He let go of Chad’s hands, and belatedly, Chad realized all his jewelry was gone. Had he just- while he was _drunk_? “But I _promise_ I’ve got a- a great mouth.” He slid down to his knees with an amount of grace he probably shouldn’t have. “I can do some pretty good things with it, is all I’m saying. You have my total consent to use it _as you will_.”

“You’re super drunk, so I don’t think that works,” Chad said, sort of wishing the guy would get back on his feet again. 

Which he did, thankfully, a second later. “No, I _promise_ ,” Drunk guy pressed, slumping towards Chad. “I’ll sign a contract and everything. I, Jadir of Agrabah, do so solemnly swear that this total babe before me has every um- right to use me for her sexual pleasures, and may no um- r-ramifications befall her for my complete and total permission to um- bang. Yes.” That was… impressively coherent. “That should do it.”

“No.” Chad shook his head. “Still too drunk.”

Jadir gave him a mischievous look, then held up a familiar piece of silky material. “…then why’d you give me your panties?”

Chad felt himself blush down to his _toes_ , realizing over the course of that conversation the nobleman had somehow managed to undo the ties on the side of his hips and remove the panties without Chad even _noticing_. He was now bare beneath his very short skirt and horribly aware of this fact, and Jadir looked like he had won the lottery.

“I can eat you out so good,” Jadir promised. “My genitals don’t even have to be involved. Do you want my hands?” He held them up for Chad’s inspection, revealing an array of Evie’s jewelry. “Cuz I can use them instead. They’re… _very_ dexterous.”

“I um- I know you’re being very insistent,” Chad said, backing away from the intoxicated nobleman. Jadir, of course, kept following, offering Chad a smile. “But I don’t think you actually want to have sex.”

“You don’t?” Jadir asked, lurching forward, causing Chad to step back until he tripped over the mattress, collapsing back on it. Immediately, Jadir spread out beside him, wrapping an arm around Chad’s waist but otherwise keeping his distance. “And what- what makes you think that? I mean, are you- are you as smart as you are pretty - pretty lady in Evie’s bedroom?” Jadir sort of looked around the room. “…why _are_ you in Evie’s bedroom?”

“Um… I was getting changed.”

“Fuckin’ should have stayed outside the window,” Jadir grumbled. “Wait, that’s gross. F-forget I said that.”

Which was… strangely thoughtful of him.

Tentatively, Chad reached down to pat the top of Jadir’s head. “Are you um… trying to distract yourself?”

Jadir groaned, burying his face against Chad’s hip. “Not _you_ too. First _Uma_ , then everyone else in the world-”

“It’s just- you seem sort of determined for the wrong reasons.”

“If the wrong reasons involve having sex with the smart pretty lady in Evie’s room, I think they’re alright.”

“No you don’t,” Chad decided, because he was sort of getting thrown off by all the compliments from someone who seemed unfairly honest at the moment.

“ _Gah_ ,” Jadir groaned, moving to curl around Chad’s legs. “Even the fucking random stranger in Evie’s room knows I’m pathetic. No wonder I can’t get anyone to sleep with me.”

“Maybe you should try doing this when you’re not drunk,” Chad offered. “They’d be more inclined to say yes.”

“Because that’s _Auradon_ for you,” Jadir snapped. “Everyone respecting boundaries and shit because they can’t be _obvious_ about how fucking evil they are. Like _Audrey_.”

“What, exactly, did Audrey do?” Chad asked, because he couldn’t help but wonder.

Jadir snorted against the thin material of Chad’s dress. “Do yourself a favor and stay away from her. She’d eat your soul for being so pretty, and then probably tell everyone you’re a slut because you’re a nice person who talks drunk people out of giving themselves away for s-sex.” Jadir groaned again. “…she keeps sending me these fucking _texts_ and I keep blocking her and I _know_ I should ignore her but sometimes she’s so fucking-” Jadir let out a harsh exhale. “…can I stay here with you, please?”

…it was so very pathetic that Chad didn’t mind the fact that Jadir had literally stolen the clothes off of him. If anything, Jadir was lost, and he just wanted to give some comfort.

“Okay,” Chad allowed, petting the top of Jadir’s head. “But we’re not gonna talk about sex anymore.”

“That’s fair,” Jadir grumbled. “Do you want me to put these back on?” he asked, waving the panties.

“ _No_.” Chad flushed, grateful when Jadir let his hand flop back against the bed.

He was less grateful, however, when he realized the drunk lug had pretty much pinned Chad against the mattress with his dumb, unmovable body. And Chad didn’t have a phone. Or _Jadir’s_ phone.

So… this was his life, then. 

Chad resigned himself to his fate with a sigh, decided to get in what sleep he could until Jadir moved, knowing better than to waste the opportunity when it was presented. Besides, Evie’s bed was more comfortable than anything Chad had ever experienced, and there was no point in not savoring the relief it provided.

With that decided, Chad allowed his eyes to drift shut, hoping Jay stayed compliant and cuddly. Or at the very least, unconscious.

Yes, the second option would do well enough for Chad.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad wasn’t sure what woke him besides the building cold on his legs, exposed skin shivering under the good air circulation of wherever he had rested, which was strange enough in itself. Yes, he was used to sleeping cold, but that was generally after he’d bundled himself under what blankets he had. _Now_ he was passed out on top of his bed, and for whatever reason his lower body was naked which was… weird. And definitely not a thing he did.

Chad shifted, knowing he’d have to do something about the cold but reluctant to move off of the luxuriously comfortable bed he rested on. The subtle movement was enough to prompt a slide of silky material across his thighs, which was befuddling for a moment before Chad remembered the dare, Evie’s room – _Jadir_. 

That woke Chad up more than anything else, though when he finally opened his eyes, he realized the other teen was missing. That did not, however, mean that Chad was alone, because about the same time he realized this, Chad noticed Harry hovering a few feet away from the bed, watching Chad with an unreadable gaze.

When he noticed Chad was awake, the nobleman moved forward in a slow swagger. “…got so worn out ye fell asleep before ye could change back, Kitten?” he asked, leaning one knee on the bed. “Or were ye so comfortable in your new duds that ye decided to keep ‘em?”

“The first one,” Chad said with a flush, pulling himself into the sitting position. Chad felt off-balanced dealing with Harry so soon after he woke with his usual levels of smugness, especially after the nobleman had gone through so much effort to ignore Chad once Evie had followed through on her dare. “Did you guys find who you were looking for?”

Harry’s expression crumpled into one of annoyance. “Not yet,” he grumbled. “But knowing the slippery devil, he’s probably curled up in some hiding spot and none of us will find him until he deigns to show up.” He plopped down beside Chad with a sigh, rolling his neck slowly. “I was only out there to help Uma. They sent me back in case the stupid shit showed up while we were gone, though that seems unlikely.”

For a split second, Chad considered telling Harry about his encounter with the drunk teen, who _could_ possibly be hiding in the castle, but then the nobleman started fingering the hem of Chad’s dress and his mind stuttered to a halt.

“Fucking _figures_ ,” Harry grumbled. “The only night ye get dolled up and _Jadir_ has to go get so damn wasted we don’t even get to appreciate it.”

“…you like this?” Chad tried not to come off as seeking Harry’s approval, even though he was so entirely thrown by Harry’s disappointment. “You seemed so determined to ignore me-”

“Cuz if I started looking at ye, I’d have to do something _drastic_ ,” Harry drawled, head tilting towards Chad’s. “Objectively, you’re quite luscious like this, Kitten.”

Chad’s cheeks burned with heat. “ _Don’t_ \- don’t say stuff like that, Harry.”

“Why?” Harry pressed. “It’s true. You’re quite attractive as a girl. Even Ben thinks so.”

“He does _not_.” Or, Chad hoped he didn’t, because he didn’t know what he’d do with that information if it was true. Would Mal start disliking him? He didn’t know how these sort of things worked.

“Course he does,” Harry countered with wicked ease. “And Gilly _especially_ does. Why, I kept thinking his fingers were gonna itch towards the edge of your skirt, just one errant shift and-”

In hindsight, Chad should have expected Harry’s next move, but part of his brain seemed to be in stubborn denial, so it didn’t really process the nobleman flipping the skirt up in a lazy movement until the lower half of Chad’s genitals were on display.

Immediately, Chad shoved the skirt back down, though it didn’t seem to help much because Harry was just- staring as though trapped in a daze, his mind refusing to comprehend what he’d just seen.

“I didn’t finish changing,” Chad rushed to explain, shoving to his feet in clumsy movements in his effort to get out of Harry’s reach. “I fell asleep-”

“Were ye-” Harry blinked. “The _whole_ time?”

“ _No_.” The very thought that Chad would – in front of Mal and _Ben_ – made him horrified. “No, I just- I was changing-”

“And ye fell asleep without underwear,” Harry croaked. “This _entire_ conversation-”

“I didn’t expect you to push up my skirt,” Chad snapped, smoothing the front of the silky material down and shivering when it pressed against him, which was really _not the time_ for his libido to get interested.

“Just when I think I have a handle on ye, you surprise me, Kitten,” Harry said, jumping to his feet. Strangely enough, he turned away, pacing the far length of the room to avoid looking at Chad. “Fuck. _Fuck_.”

“Harry…” Chad didn’t know what to do when Harry got like this, which was unfortunate, because it happened a lot.

“Just-” Harry sighed, dragging a hand across his face. “When you’re done changing, come to the room two doors to the right. It’s Gil’s. I set aside some stuff for you to sleep in.” A flush spread across his cheeks. “I suppose I should add _underwear_ to that too.”

With that, he stalked away, exiting as quickly as he came, leaving Chad listless and confused behind him.

That was- maybe they’d just both silently agree to never talk about that ever again.

Hopefully.

Either way, Chad was done with these clothes, and done with this night. Granted, as far as apology’s went this was… certainly an event. 

At least it ended up more or less a good one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, it’s Jay! Jay gets to be in the story! Because of course ;P
> 
> Thanks to everyone for the lovely feedback and support!!! I hope you're all doing well in these crazy times ^_^. I know things are hectic, but I am sincerely grateful to each and every one of you for your comments. Writing has been a great distraction for me, and I can only hope that my stories are providing some kind of distraction or entertainment in turn.
> 
> So take care, and I'll see you Wednesday or Thursday :) Thank you!! 
> 
> Until next time :)


	5. Dinner and a Foe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There is a part of this chapter where someone gets a little frisky with Chad. It doesn’t go very far, but it is enough that I felt a warning was necessary for those uncomfortable with such things. The contact is more of a result of an emotional breakdown, which doesn’t excuse it, but does put it in a different light. Please see the endnotes for more specific warnings.

Five PM marked Chad’s flagging hour. After Harry left the shop, things tended to get more tedious – despite how relatively well-behaved Harry was at work, he was still a sort of light distraction that made time pass by faster. Without him, Chad was left with his own lingering stamina, and he could usually get through the next two hours in peaceful silence, but at five there was only an hour left to closing, an hour until he could start with cleanup, and his body yearned for it. 

Chad tried to motivate himself with promises of the cookies Gil had made him stashed in his kitchen cabinet. When he got home, he could have one and start another chapter of Ben’s book, and then he could have a long-awaited dinner combined with more reading – but he could only do _that_ if he made it through work.

And so, he pushed on.

At least until Mal strode into the back of the alterations shop with Mr. Marius on her heels, a concerned look on the manager’s face.

“I thought you got off at three,” was how Mal chose to greet him.

“Um…” Chad stared at the clock which still, regrettably, said it was five. “I was finishing up a few things. I must have lost track of time.”

“Right.” Mal’s arms folded across her chest in a look of dubious annoyance. “Well, it’s dinnertime now, so I’m going to steal you.” She spared Mr. Marius a look. “Is that okay?”

“Perfectly, your ladyship,” Mr. Marius rushed to assure, hands twisting together in an expression of nerves.

“Great.” Mal unfolded her arms so she could motion for Chad to stand, following his lead to clean up. “Let’s do this then.”

Thankfully, Chad was practiced enough with Harry’s impromptu decisions to drive Chad home that clearing off his station quickly was a matter of rote. Because of that, Mal had him back out the door and in a private car in under five minutes, his bike safely stashed in the trunk. 

“Sorry,” she murmured when they settled in. “Evie keeps telling me to try and handle this stuff ‘delicately’ but sometimes my Isle ways take over and-” She sighed. “I originally went to your cottage to _politely_ ask you to dinner, but then you weren’t there, so I was just gonna check to see if Mr. Marius knew where you might be and then he said you were _still_ in the backroom, so-” Another sigh. “I got grumpy.”

Unable to help himself, Chad laughed, stifling the sound into his palm. “You don’t have to apologize,” he assured her. “I’m… touched that you wanted to kidnap me _and_ ask me to dinner.”

“Good.” Mal grinned at him – a cute, mischievous thing. “Though I do have to apologize because as Evie often says, _‘No one is above the rules_ ’ and Ben thinks that _especially_ applies to us, and I can’t really argue with that. Gotta lead by example, you know?”

“Can’t um- say that I do,” Chad chuckled. “But hypothetically – sure.”

“What, none of the kings in those fictional romances of yours are good leaders?” Mal asked, fine brows raising in a look of amusement. “I’m disappointed in Ben’s recommendations.”

“Believe it or not, the books generally don’t focus on the government-running aspect of royal life.”

“Then what _do_ they focus on?” Mal asked, seeming legitimately interested, so Chad told her.

He was halfway through the recitation of his current protagonist’s struggle to complete the trials of combat so as to win the heart of his true love when they made it into Mal’s royal quarters, the lady heckling and clapping during appropriate pauses, depending on her mood.

“ _Ugh_ ,” she declared, dragging Chad into the bedroom so she could collapse against the large bed. “That’s crazy – fighting a hoard of monsters just to get a shot at wooing some girl you don’t know.”

“You’re missing the point.” After a minor hesitation, Chad perched on the edge of the bed, staring at his lap. “He _already_ knows her – he’s doing this to prove his love. And once she sees how he’ll really fight for her and not just lust after her looks – she’ll _know_ his love is true and feel ready to give her heart over.” He fidgeted with the smooth seam of the khakis, likely the pair Harry had liberated from ‘Jay’. “Assuming that she wants to.”

“That’s just it, though,” Mal griped. “He’s doing _all_ that for a ‘maybe’.”

“Yeah, but that’s what makes it romantic, right?” Chad said with a shrug. “To realize what extent he would go through for her. I think even if she didn’t know him – the will to fight itself could be admired, and maybe she could love him for _that_.” 

Mal opened her mouth to muster some kind of argument, but before she could the king marched into the room, seeming far less composed than usual. He flopped down on the bed beside his future queen, curling against her with a prolonged moan.

“I _hate_ the council,” he muttered, trying to hide his face in Mal’s shoulder. “You can have me on record saying that. I want the whole of Auradon to know that the council is stupid and I hate them and their stupid need to nitpick _everything_.”

“That is not a thing you want,” Mal decided, combing a hand through Ben’s hair until he was sighing with contentment. “Where’s the Benny I know that wants solutions?”

“I _still_ want solutions,” Ben groaned. “I just want them to be less irritating to achieve.” He wrapped himself around Mal like an octopus, a thing that in all appearances Mal ‘allowed’ out of kindness, though she secretly seemed to love it a lot. “…Hi, Kit,” Ben grumbled after a moment. “Sorry about- you know.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” Chad offered. “You probably have the hardest job in the kingdom – you’re allowed to complain about it in the privacy of your own bedroom.”

“In front of your friend and lover,” Mal added, pressing a kiss to Ben’s cheek. “Now tell us what they’re harping on now.”

“The same thing they always seem to be arguing about nowadays,” Ben grumbled. “Money. They want to know who’s paying for what – how people are going to be taxed, how the refugees are going to be taxed, who’s going to be paying for the additional educational and correctional facilities that will need to be constructed – it’s a giant mess.”

“I would think the answer to that is obvious,” Chad said before he could think about it, earning two interested looks that he was likely incapable of satisfying. “I mean- you can have a small tax increase to apply to all the citizens of Auradon, but the biggest issue is distributing the wealth so that it will be most effectively used, which means that proportionally, the upper class needs to be taxed higher.”

“Which is the problem,” Ben sighed. “Because they don’t want that.”

“Maybe you should sell it to them differently?” Chad offered. “It’s just- the desire to hoard money is an understandable one, because money is a form of stability. Unfortunately, money is also a lot like manure, in that if you stockpile it in one place it isn’t particularly useful. It needs to be spread amongst the earth for it to reap any benefits.”

They two of them stared at Chad with twin looks of incomprehension, making Chad wish he hadn’t spoken up in the first place. “What I mean is that instead of looking at it as a tax, have them look at it as an _investment_. By investing in the refugee’s relief programs, they’re contributing to future workers that can help their kingdoms. Like-” Chad turned to face them more as he got into the idea. “Instead of having everything focused in Central Auradon, why not make it so that each of the kingdoms is building these sort of facilities? In addition to general education, they could have journeyman programs for each kingdoms’ trade specialties to help out with the lack of apprentices. That way they’re investing in their future and investing in _their_ kingdom, instead of feeling like they’re potentially being stolen from by the crown of Auradon.” 

Chad felt foolish when he said it, basing most of his conjecture over the political intrigue thrillers he had read and the few headlines he had caught from the newspapers that were sold by the library. It probably wasn’t that simple. If anything, the king had likely already considered that idea and dismissed it as ineffective-

“That’s _genius_ ,” Ben declared, sitting up with a sudden move that left Mal reeling. He looked at Chad with an enthusiasm and _hope_ that left the blond breathless, that he could give that to a _king_. “I’ve got to call Evie and Uma right away. And Jane! If we can start recalibrating our plans-”

“Dinner first,” Mal declared, placing a restraining hand on Ben’s bicep when she sat up with a grumble. “Celebratory dinner, then paperwork. You’ve been going all day.”

“I- oh.” Ben blinked down at his stomach as though checking the status of its contents and realizing Mal was right. “Okay, dinner sounds good.”

He gave Chad another grin as he slid off of the bed, offering a hand to Mal that the lady completely ignored in favor of using Chad’s shoulder.

“Did you manage to reach Jay?” Ben asked as they exited the suite, moving down another hidden staircase towards what Chad guessed was a dining room.

“ _No_ ,” Mal huffed. “He’s being _stupid_.” She turned her attention to Chad. “Jay’s my dumb friend who works with Gil and Harry.”

“I’ve heard of him,” Chad said, though mostly he’d heard Harry complain about him, because apparently Jay was flirtatious and _‘distracting’_ to Gil, which made Chad think that Harry was really just jealous of the guy. “Harry stole these pants from him.”

“Huh.” Mal blinked down at the khakis. “I’d wondered where those went.” A wicked smirk seemed to settle on her face. “Hey, maybe after dinner we could raid his closet for other stuff you can wear. It would serve him right for being a big, dumb baby.”

“Mal,” Ben chastised lightly, though for whatever reason it seemed like he didn’t want to. “You can’t just take your friend’s clothes without their permission.”

“Sure I can,” Mal huffed. “He does it to me _all the time_ , and even if he tries to sneak them back – _I know_.”

“…why would Jay need your clothes?” Chad asked before he could help himself.

“That’s something I ask myself all the time,” Mal muttered, seeming to miss the fond but knowing look Ben shot her, which gave Chad the feeling that _he_ knew the reason for Jay’s thievery. “But seriously,” Mal continued as they were led into a small, private dining room. “Wouldn’t Kit look adorable in Jay’s Tourney jersey?”

“That’s a sport, right?” Chad asked before Ben could answer, because he was sort of afraid what that answer would be.

“That’s _the_ sport of Auradon,” Mal said with a roll of her eyes, settling into the chair that a servant pulled out for her. Chad mimicked her, trying not to be as horribly awkward as he felt. The table was small and round, leaving no real ‘sides’ – just three seats for each of them to sit at. “Jay got accepted to several colleges to play for their teams, but he’s taking time off to _explore_ with Gil and Harry.”

“Mal…” Ben began carefully when Mal snatched up a roll from the basket on the table and started tearing it open with her fingers.

“I know, I know,” she huffed, shoulders slumping as she reached for the butter. “This is a happy time; we have happy things so let’s- I’ll focus on that.”

This seemed like a conversation they’d had a few times, and while Chad wasn’t sure if Mal was okay, he knew better than to intrude. 

Thankfully, Ben swiftly changed the subject to books, which was what led to Chad finishing the story he’d been telling Mal earlier, where the humble hero managed to marry the lovely princess and they all lived happily ever after. This led to Ben pitching in with some of his favorite books, which led to Mal reluctantly chiming in as well (because you couldn’t live with a _bookworm_ and _not_ get sucked into the madness, Mal had grumbled).

The topic carried them through to dessert – a light and flaky thing called a _soufflé_ served with bitter tea, and the meal had been so delightful and tasty that Chad was worried he might not ever have anything else like it, as though everything else would pale in comparison. 

The feeling of joy didn’t pale when Ben inevitably dragged them into his office and somehow roped Chad into helping layout the barebones of his idea – Mal using the computer to look up the most in demand craftsmen for each kingdom while Chad added in his two cents with his limited budgeting knowledge. Eventually though, it got to the point where it was safely beyond Chad and Mal’s means of comprehension, though Ben seemed entirely on a roll.

“This is where we leave him,” Mal whispered, shooting Chad a wink. “Best to get out of his way when he gets in the zone like this.”

“Okay.” Chad nodded, and then she was pulling him back towards the bedroom, which Chad guessed was their default location. 

“Rats,” Mal murmured, staring down at her phone. She’d gotten it out the moment they’d left Ben. “Jay isn’t at Evie’s. And Gil and Carlos haven’t seen him either.” There was a buzz, and then her frown deepened. “And apparently he hasn’t checked back into the castle and it’s _nine o’clock_.” She pocketed her phone with a scowl, seeming to have made up her mind. “That’s it, we’re going with my original plan.”

“What was your original plan?” Chad asked as Mal dragged him back out into the hallway, through a labyrinth of corridors.

“Jay’s clothes – your body,” she said with sharp orders. “You deserve an impromptu shopping spree and Jay’s being a butthead – it’s a win-win. Maybe I can steal my jacket back while we’re there.” 

“Didn’t Ben say that was a thing we _shouldn’t_ do?” Chad knew better than to try and fight his way out of Mal’s grip, even if he sort of wanted to. “Jay’s clothing theft doesn’t justify thievery on our part.”

“You’re so ethical,” Mal sighed – barging into a room that was very red and gold and a little bit messy – all the signs of a teenaged nobleman, Chad guessed. “Jay has a bounty of clothes he doesn’t wear because he thinks they’re ‘not him’ or whatever, and you would not only look _good_ in them, but you would appreciate them as the fine garments they are.”

She dragged him into a closet that seemed much neater than the rest of the room – well, the back portion with the ‘neglected’ clothes was organized. The front part was a travesty and Mal boldly ignored it, shutting the door behind them as she dragged Chad to the furthest depths of the closet.

“Here.” She nudged him onto an ottoman, because all rich people closets came with those, apparently. She rummaged behind a drawer organizer before her face lit up in a show of victory. “Ah- _ha_!” she chirped, tossing a purple, wrinkled garment at him. “Knew he had my coat. Now…” She started pawing through the selection. “ _Ooh_ , this is perfect – he’s literally never worn it.”

She pulled out a jacket of some kind – the main part of it was navy, but the sleeves were a pale blue. The collar and sleeves were lined with this stretchy striped fabric that alternated the two blues, and there was a crest for ‘Auradon Prep’ on the left side of the chest.

“It’s Jay’s letterman jacket,” Mal explained, handing the garment over. “He got his for Tourney but he refused to wear it because it was the wrong color scheme, and now that he’s graduated he _definitely_ isn’t going to need it, so…” She motioned to him. “Try it on.”

“Um…” Chad inspected the coat carefully. His years in the alteration shop confirmed Mal’s story. This thing had never been worn, despite looking suitably well insulated and having a silky sort of lining that indicated high-end clothing.

Knowing it likely wouldn’t be missed, Chad slid into the jacket. While it was a little big, he sort of loved the way the blues looked on him, making him seem like a normal _athlete_ who went to school and had friends instead of a shut-in who worked all the time.

“It’s perfect,” Mal cackled, clapping her hands together. “It looks way better on you than it would him, no question. That is now yours and before you ask,” she continued, turning back to the abandoned clothes. “No, he won’t mind.”

“He _might_ , though,” Chad countered on principle, even if every part of him wanted to huddle in this jacket and never let go. “What if he’s held onto it out of nostalgia?”

“Jay doesn’t _do_ nostalgia,” Mal scoffed. “Speaking of…” She pawed through a separate set of drawers, letting out a low whistle when she found whatever she was looking for. “Check out _this_ thing.”

She held up a sleeveless vest that had definitely seen better days, an eclectic combination of red leather, distressed denim, and a yellow accent material that Chad couldn’t identify. It was certainly _avant_ - _garde_ _but well worn, meaning Jay must be some sort of fashionista with an acclimation towards the color red._

_“I’m surprised he still has this,” Mal mused. “I thought he’d chucked it in the trash years ago.”_

_“It’s not that bad.” Chad said, taking the vest from her. Sure, it was distressed in some places – and this one lacked a proper lining, meaning it was likely a designer’s sample – but there was nothing a little TLC couldn’t fix. “Some of the seams need to be reinforced, but there’s no reason he couldn’t keep wearing it.”_

_“Aside from the fact that he grew out of it,” Mal said, but her eyes were soft, maybe fond, and Chad didn’t know if that was for Jay or for the vest. “It was buried underneath some stuff, maybe he forgot he had it.” Her brows furrowed in concentration. “Yeah, now that I think about it, that’s probably what happened. I should give it back to Evie,_ _or-_ _” There was that mischievous look again. “_ _You_ _could take it.”_

Chad felt himself blush. “I um- don’t think I could pull that off.” _At all_.

“Nonsense!” Mal chirped, settling beside him on the ottoman. “You could finally take a chance to give your arms some sun on your days off.”

“ _Um_.” Somehow, Chad’s blush intensified. “Did he- he didn’t wear this over something?”

Mal blinked, as though taken off guard by the comment, before a slow smile crept over her face. “Nope. He’s all for showing off his muscles. Can you _imagine_?”

“That a jock is willing to show off his muscles?” Chad asked, suddenly conscious of the fact he was wearing a _letterman’s_ jacket. “Yes, yes I could.”

“But how does that make-” Mal cut herself off abruptly, staring in the direction of the door with a sudden intensity Chad couldn’t ignore if he wanted to. There was a pause, and then she moved her finger in a furious _swish_. Instantly, they were bathed in darkness, and Chad would have panicked had Mal not taken his hand, the soft glow of her eyes aimed towards the door.

A moment later, Chad realized what the fuss was about.

“ _-haven’t seen you around lately_ ,” Ben was saying, voice muffled by the closet door and the distance between them.

“ _I’ve been busy_ ,” a familiar voice said, though Chad struggled to place it until he realized it was Jadir, only this time he was sober. 

He wondered what the two of them could be doing in Jay’s room, then belatedly and somewhat stupidly realized that _Jay_ must be Jadir’s nickname. That made some things fall into place.

“ _I know the feeling_ ,” Ben chuckled, but even from his limited experience with the king, Chad knew it was forced. “ _I know it’s taking a lot to plan the trip, but we’d still appreciate seeing you in your free time. The others would too._ ”

“ _…is that an order?_ ” Jay asked, not quite a challenge, just- unreadable. Apathetic, maybe.

“ _Of course not_ ,” Ben sighed. “ _But we miss you, Jay_.”

“ _Did Mal put you up to this_?” Finally, there was the beginning of something in Jay’s tone. Something close to worry.

“ _Contrary to popular belief, I’m allowed to like you too_.” Ben said this as though it was a discussion they’d had many times, and every time Jay had ignored him. “ _And I do like you, very much. And I’d like you even more if you’d stop avoiding Mal and I_.” 

“ _I’m not avoiding you-_ ”

“ _Bullshit_ ,” Ben said it lightly, but it was so staggering to hear the king _curse_ that Chad nearly gasped. “ _You’ve done nothing **but** avoid us since I proposed to Mal_.”

“ _Maybe it seems like that since you’re busy all the time_ ,” Jay countered, voice drifting further away. “ _But I’m not. I’m planning for the trip. I’m doing my **job**_.”

“ _You’re hurting Mal_ ,” Ben began to list. “ _You’re hurting your friends; you’re hurting yourself and for **what**? If you would just hold still for five minutes-_”

“ _I have to go._ ”

“ _Jay_.” There was a tense silence, and Chad wondered if the king had moved to block Jay’s escape, if they were staring each other down in this _exact_ moment.

“ _…don’t you have some blond to be pitying?_ ” Jay eventually snapped. “ _Some poor lost soul that Mal can spend her time with?_ ”

Chad’s breath caught in his throat, though Mal only squeezed his hand tighter, trying to keep him grounded while Ben pressed on. “ _You’re not going to distract me, Jay_ ,” Ben warned. “ _You don’t get to pick a fight just because you’re uncomfortable_.”

“ _I’ve seen the pictures_ ,” Jay continued as though he hadn’t heard him. “ _He’s real cute, isn’t he? And those **lips**. Has Mal sat on them yet? Have you **fucked** them?_”

Chad pressed a hand to his mouth, conscious of the heat building behind his eyes, the subtle shift of lips under his fingertips. He knew this wasn’t about him, but the very implication that Ben and Mal wanted _that_ , that their friendship was only forged in the pursuit of it-

“ _You’re out of line, Jay_ ,” Ben snapped. “ _We know you’re hurting, and if you just talked to us-_ ”

“ _Talked about **what?**_ ” Jay growled. “ _You want me to help pick out your wedding flowers? Help work out your first dance? What do you want, Ben?_ ”

“ _We want you back, Jay!_ ” It was strange to hear Ben’s voice raised, though he seemed almost feral now. “ _We – as in **both** of us, want you back. We want you to stop cowering away like some wounded animal-_”

“ _Like Harry?_ ” Jay goaded. “ _Don’t want me to lash out and find another pitiful orphan for you to woo?_ ”

“ _We’re not **wooing** Kit_,” Ben snapped, which was- at least that was clear. “ _He’s our friend, and you’re-_ ”

“ _You barely know him_.”

“ _We did a security check already, and if you’d actually talk to us-_ ”

“ _I could fall all over him too?_ _Gee, thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass_.”

“ _What about us?_ ” There was a strained silence, both of their voices close to the bedroom door. “ _Are you gonna pass on us too, Jay?_ ”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Jay’s voice was barely audible the next time he spoke. “ _…Get out of my way, Ben_.”

Ben said nothing before the door swung shut again, leaving them all in this horrible lingering sorrow. Chad didn’t even know Jay, but he knew _that_ was far from good if Mal’s trembling fingers was anything to go by.

It got a little worse when the heard the first sounds of Ben sniffling.

“Go,” Chad whispered, squeezing Mal’s hand pointedly. “Go to him, get him to the sitting room. I’ll wait five minutes before I leave.”

“Kit-”

“ _Go_ ,” Chad urged, swallowing down his own shame. “He needs to be weak right now, and he won’t want me to see that. Go to him.”

There was a pause. “…what he said wasn’t true.”

“I know,” Chad lied. “Now go.”

It didn’t take much to encourage her. She left in silence, padding through the dark, only opening the closet door enough to slip through before closing it behind her. The following five minutes seem to drag on for eternity, Chad’s heart pounding in his ears too loudly for him to be able to hear Mal’s words of comfort to Ben. His chest felt tight and everything felt- heavy. He knew befriending royalty was- well, it was a terrible idea, but it was a terrible idea that would lead to complications like Jay. Chad had been waiting for the other shoe to drop, he just hadn’t realized this would be it. 

To ere on the side of caution, Chad counted to sixty ten times, only leaving the closet after he’d pressed his ear against the door and was unable to hear sounds of movement outside. He was relieved to find the room and the rest of the suite area leading to the exit was empty. He was relieved to find the hall empty until he realized he didn’t know where he was going again, that he was lost looking for an exit. If he could manage to get back to Mal’s room at least he could climb down the drainpipe again, which Chad was tempted to do until he rounded a corner and bounced off a literal wall of muscle that had been charging a forceful path that would not be denied. 

Chad – who was already weak on his feet – fell to the ground in a graceless slump. He managed to get halfway to his feet, a slew of apologies ready on his tongue, when a familiar voice interrupted him.

“It’s _you_ ,” Jadir – well, _Jay_ snapped – still just as muscular as he’d been in Evie’s room though his long, dark hair seemed much neater, which was about all Chad got to absorb before he realized just how _angry_ Jay was.

“The _fuck_?” Jay continued, looming into Chad’s space. “Did they invite you to dinner since I ducked out?” There was a pause as his gaze traveled Chad’s body, focusing on the garments in his hands (Chad still had them, he’d forgotten to leave them and now he was just _holding_ them in the hallway). Jay pulled on the letterman jacket. “Are these _my clothes_?”

Chad’s brain blanked in panic. “Mal-”

“Of _course_ ,” Jay hissed, fingers curling into the collar of the jacket before he pressed Chad into the wall, not unlike Harry had the day they had met. “Why wouldn’t she do this _out of spite_?”

“To be fair, she was right about you avoiding dinner,” Chad’s mouth said entirely without his permission, as though it _wanted_ to see the glare in Jay’s eyes intensify.

“I’m allowed to spend time with other people,” Jay snapped. “That doesn’t give her a right to take my clothes, and-” He paused, gaze landing on Mal’s crumpled jacket. “You _definitely_ don’t get to keep this.”

“I didn’t want to,” Chad pressed even though it didn’t seem like Jay believed him. “Honestly-”

Jay snatched the jacket out of his hand and tossed it aside, fingers lingering on the old vest. “You wanted _this_?” He seemed incredulous, shifting his gaze between Chad’s face and the garment. “That’s so fucking like Mal. Do you even have the physique to pull it off?”

“I didn’t mean to take it,” Chad began to ramble. “We were just-”

He cut off when Jay unceremoniously released him, only grab at the hem of Chad’s sweater, pushing it up his chest until it was gathered under his armpits.

“What- what are you doing?” Chad’s throat felt tight, a pointed sort of fear stabbing the back of his mind.

“Seeing what I’ve been missing out on,” Jay drawled, making a show of looking over Chad’s chest, lingering on the pathetic picture it presented. “You’re thin,” he deduced, petting a hand down Chad’s stomach that trembled under the contact. He’d never been touched like this before. Harry had done something like it, but this was worse, more predatory.

Jay bent low, staring at Chad’s pectorals, the blond humiliated to realize his nipples had hardened into tiny pebbles under the other teen’s stare. 

“Huh.” Jay blew warm air against them, making Chad shudder through a gasp. “Responsive. Cute. But I knew you were cute.”

“Y-you don’t have to do this,” Chad managed, pulse speeding when Jay’s hands delved low, fumbling for Chad’s fly. “Jay-”

“These are even my pants,” the other teen was muttering, opening the pants enough just to see Chad’s underwear. “And those are _Ben’s_.”

Chad’s blush intensified. “They are _not_.” Mal had said they were the same brand, but they weren’t- he wouldn’t wear the _king’s_ -

“And look at that,” Jay drawled, pulling Chad’s underwear low enough to see a fine concentration of hair. “The carpet _does_ match the drapes.”

“K-knock it _off_ ,” Chad urged, finally managing to pull out of Jay’s hold. He distracted himself by putting his clothes back in place, keeping one eye on Jay. “I get that you’re upset-”

“Oh, you _‘get that’_ , do you?” Jay drawled, hands curling into fists against his sides. “Oh person-that-I-just-met. What, have they talked about me? Has _Ben_ talked about me?”

“Of course they talk about you, you’re their friend,” Chad said, trying to be comforting, but something about his words must have landed wrong because Jay’s expression fell, and between one moment and the next Chad found himself lifted and settled on some kind of storage dresser that was pressed against the wall.

“ _Damn you_ ,” Jay hissed, leaning into Chad’s space. His hands were still clutching Chad’s hips, burning like brands against him. “And I can’t even _do_ anything or else I’d end up your workhorse like Harry.” 

“Harry isn’t my workhorse,” Chad protested. “He’s my friend, and I already told him he didn’t have to keep coming in-”

“But he didn’t listen because he _likes_ you so much,” Jay finished with a drawl. “Just like _everyone_ likes you.”

“People would probably like you too if you’d stop being such an _asshole_ ,” Chad snapped, sort of near the end of his rope, and it was worth it to see the genuinely stupefied expression on Jay’s face.

When the nobleman recovered, it was to welcome something close to mania. “You think _I’m_ an asshole?” he growled. “Fine, I’ll help you. I mean, you like my damn clothes so much, you can have them.”

“What?” Chad cut off when Jay tore the red knit cap off his own head, shoving it onto Chad’s and pulling it so low it covered the blond’s eyes.

By the time Chad pushed the material out of his gaze, Jay already had his zippered hoody undone and was yanking it off in violent strokes. He wrapped it around Chad’s waist over his objections, tying it in place and leaving himself in a sleeveless undershirt (that really did show off his muscles and now was _really not the time_ because Jay was having some kind of breakdown and only Chad was there to witness it).

“Here, if you like shoes so much, you can have mine.” Jay grabbed onto Chad’s ankle, yanking it _up_. “We’ll just get rid of yours and…” He trailed off, staring at the loafers Harry had gotten Chad with confused eyes. “…your feet are tiny.”

“Y-Yeah,” Chad stuttered, so beyond rattled that he was sort of back at resigned again. “I know.”

“ _Why_ are your feet so tiny?” Jay asked, pulling Chad’s leg _higher_ so he could stare at his shoes. “How do you even stand on these? You-” He snickered, something that seemed to take him by surprise, and soon it shifted into helpless laughter that bordered on the edge of hysteria. “Sweet evil, _everything_ about you is adorable. You have- you have little Cinderella feet.”

Chad didn’t know how to take that. “I don’t know who that is.”

“You know,” Jay laughed again, wet trails beginning to leak from the corners of his eyes. “Like the princess? Prince Charming tried her slipper on every maiden in the land but it only fit her because she has just- the _tiniest_ feet, but she’s dead now so-” He broke off into helpless giggles again.

“…I have feet like a dead person,” Chad surmised.

That was entirely uncomforting.

“ _Yes_ ,” Jay croaked, letting go of Chad’s leg so he could collect himself. “You have- you have tiny dead people feet and if- If I gave you my boots you’d just-” He doubled over in laughter. “You’d _swim in them_.”

“Um…” Jay’s laughter was definitely hysterical now, and Chad didn’t know what to do. “So uh- maybe don’t give me your shoes.”

“ _Okay_ ,” Jay gasped, pressing a hand against his chest. “Sure. I can do that. I can- I’m great at _not_ helping people, you can’t even-” He straightened up, making an effort to try and collect himself with the occasional giggle, wiping at his eyes carelessly with the back of his hand. “Oh, wow. This is…” Jay laughed again. “I am _definitely_ going to be helping Harry now.”

“Or, we could just- pretend this didn’t happen,” Chad offered, eying Jay carefully as he slid off of the dresser he probably shouldn’t be sitting on anyway. The other teen made no move to stop him. “If you showed me where the garage is, we could go our separate ways and no one would be the wiser.”

“What, so I’d owe you one?” Jay asked, getting in control of himself. He stooped low to retrieve Mal’s jacket, but otherwise made no sudden moves.

At this point, Chad learned that noble people had a weird view of debts. “Could we just pretend the clothes are enough to make up for this and call it even? I really want to call it even.” And forget this ever happened.

Jay considered him for a moment. And then, finally, he passed over Mal’s coat, along with the vest Chad had let go of somewhere in the tussle that was _Jay_. “Fine,” he relented. “I’ll arrange for you to get home, you take the clothes, and this never happened. Deal?”

“Deal.” Chad even shook him on it, trying to protest when Jay also handed over his fingerless gloves but it was easy to guess who won that round, and it was not Chad. 

The walk to the garage was silent, Jay brooding and Chad wondering how he kept accidentally running into eccentric people. Maybe _that_ was why his dad wanted to protect him from the outside world. Maybe Chad had a latent tendency to attract all the crazies. And granted, he kept getting new clothes out of it, he just sort of wished the emotional turmoil that came with them was nonexistent.

Chad didn’t speak up until Jay had arranged a driver for the car he had arrived in, the other teen already turning away. “Hey um… maybe you should talk to Ben,” he offered. “Since-”

“This _didn’t_ happen,” Jay said, voice severe and unyielding, and Chad snapped his mouth shut.

Yeah, right – he was okay with that.

It was one of the _few_ things he was okay with about this day, but at the very least, he got to end on a strong note. So.

That was something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I hope you've been having a good week so far! Thank you so much for the comments, kudos, bookmarks, and subscriptions on this story. Your support and feedback is always greatly appreciated :) 
> 
> I know a lot of us didn't expect to spend Easter weekend inside, but let's make the most of it! We've got an awesome community and some fun movies to bond over, and that's pretty darn cool ;D
> 
> Story Notes:
> 
> The ‘money is a lot like manure’ thing was ripped directly from the musical ‘Hello, Dolly!’ and proves to be one of the greatest pieces of wisdom I have ever heard from a musical to date.
> 
> So yeah, Jay is not nearly as shining in this chapter as he was in the last one, but I promise he does get better. Right now he’s dealing with a lot of emotions he’s never been taught to adequately process, so he’s expressing them in like, the worst ways possible. Hooray Isle childhood. 
> 
> WARNING: Okay, so I didn’t realize this chapter was all one long scene until now, so just be on the lookout when Chad parts from Mal’s company. When you get to the line: 
> 
> “I didn’t mean to take it,” Chad began to ramble. “We were just-”
> 
> That’s when you can start skipping. It should be safe to resume reading at: 
> 
> “Oh, you ‘get that’, do you?” Jay drawled, hands curling into fists against his sides. “Oh person-that-I-just-met. What, have they talked about me? Has Ben talked about me?” 
> 
> You really won’t miss a lot except Jay being a douche. 
> 
> Until next time :)


	6. Benefiting from a Friendly Proposition

Chad tried his damnedest to put the conundrum that was Jay out of his mind. They had already agreed that what had transpired in the hallway didn’t _actually_ happen, and if Chad had some extra clothes to add to his collection of fancy garments that were only to be looked at and never worn, that was his business and no one else’s. 

Still, it left him sorting through his wardrobe until he was only regularly wearing his clothes from before the ball (minus the clothes that had been ruined by dye), plus a few bargain store finds he’d purchased with the money he was saving from Harry buying him lunch every day. All-in-all it was a successful evening, a successful life change, and everything was good.

And it would stay that way, as long as Chad was willing to pretend as much. So he did.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Why do you do that?” Chad asked near the end of lunch one day, finishing up the last few strawberries that had come on his salad. He knew it was supposed to be enjoyed together, but he so rarely _got_ strawberries that he couldn’t help but save them for a figurative ‘dessert’. 

“Do what?” Harry asked, not even having the decency to stop making sultry eyes at the girl across the restaurant, who continued to giggle and twirl her hair around her finger like someone out of a movie.

“ _That_ ,” Chad sighed. “Flirt with everyone. I thought Gil said you were dating Uma.” 

_And_ Harry seemed to have a crush on Ben, though that seemed to be like, a common state of being for everyone. Even Chad had a tiny crush on Ben, but it was too hopeless to even consider, so he tried not to dwell on it. 

“First of all,” Harry began, breaking eye contact with the pretty girl _finally_ to give Chad a side eye, because for whatever reason he’d insisted on sitting _next_ to Chad in their shared booth instead of across from him like a normal person. “I’ll flirt with whoever I want. Ye don’t spend years honing a fine tool just to let it get rusty when it’s not so necessary. And _secondly-_ ” He shifted closer to Chad in that alpha male assertiveness thing he did sometimes. “I’m not _dating_ Uma; I belong to her. She’s my captain.” Meaning... he worked under her? Chad didn’t know. “It’s different. Trust Gilly to get confused over it, though.”

“He seemed pretty certain,” Chad pointed out. “As did Evie.”

“Well _princess_ tries to find romance everywhere, doesn’t she?” Harry scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “Has read too many fairytales, that one.” He paused, his annoyed look melting into something closer to smug consideration. “Why are ye asking? Are ye _jealous_?”

“Jealous?” Chad flushed, because he _was_ sort of jealous of Harry’s ease when it came to flirting; how effortlessly he charmed people over. Probably came with being a noble, but _still_ , it was unfair. “Don’t be stupid.”

“It’s not stupid,” Harry drawled, resting a hand on Chad’s _thigh_ like it was nothing. “If you’re upset that I haven’t been flirting with you, it’s because of Mal and Uma’s orders, but-” He tilted his head closer so he could breathe into Chad’s ear, his hand _definitely_ sliding to the inside of Chad’s thigh. “-if that’s something you’re _looking_ for...”

“N- _no_ ,” Chad hissed, wishing his face would stop being so red, that he would react like a normal person and shove Harry away instead of being won over by his pretty accent and- “ _Harry_.”

The hand was sliding higher, making Chad’s heart pound frantically in his chest because surely Harry wouldn’t touch him _there_ , not in public, or ever, because Chad was a nobody and Harry had a reputation and-

_Holy fuck_ , he was touching Chad’s _crotch_.

“ _Harry_.” Chad thought he was going to forget how to breathe, his entire _being_ on fire. “You can’t- we’re in _public_.”

“Can’t I?” Harry teased, cupping between Chad’s legs and just- squeezing, letting his palm rub circles against an area that definitely shouldn’t be interested in this but Chad was definitely interested in this and that was unfortunate. “Ye want me to stop?”

“Not _here_.” Chad didn’t even know what he was saying, only knew that a certain kind of interest was culminating distinctly between his legs and he wasn’t going to be able to hide it for much longer. “Harry-”

“ _Fuck_ ,” the noble hissed, pulling away with a growl.

Chad, because he was apparently desperate, was immediately disappointed by this loss, though he didn’t have much time to revel on that because Harry was already digging through his wallet. He threw a bundle of bills onto the table before he grabbed Chad’s wrist, _pulling_ him from the restaurant. 

This was one of the few days Harry had driven them to lunch, and the car was where Harry took him, coaxing Chad into the backseat before the door shut behind him, the dark-tinted windows blocking out the rest of the world. Chad had maybe a second to process this before Harry was on him, pressing him back into the seat and mouthing against Chad’s neck the way he had at the ball, one of his hands settling between Chad’s legs and staying there.

“ _Harry_ ,” Chad whined, feeling his hips reflexively shift up into that clever hand. “We can’t- you’re dating _Uma_.”

“I already told ye I wasn’t,” Harry huffed against his neck, pulling Chad’s collar low so he could suck at the tender skin there. “Think I’d be daft enough to cheat on Uma?”

“N-no.” It obvious from anyone’s perspective that Harry was entirely dedicated to the young noblewoman, even if he refused to admit it. “B-but I’m not a um- easy score.”

“ _Easy_?” Harry pulled back to give him an incredulous look. “Ye think anything about this is _easy?_ Do ye know how many times I’ve wanted to crawl under that work station of yours and take ye apart with my mouth? Ye get so concentrated on your little projects, chewing on your bottom lip like a taunt, I just want to see those pretty pink lips gasping my name, happy and pleased and all flushed like.”

“You can’t _say_ stuff like that.” Chad pressed a hand against his face as though that could possibly hide him. Harry had been _thinking_ about this before? “And you definitely can’t- put your mouth _there_.”

“Sure I can.” Harry shoved the hem of Chad’s sweater up his chest, revealing a quivering stomach that he immediately started kissing and licking, his other hand still firmly between Chad’s legs. “I’ve done it plenty of times.”

“And am I just- another conquest?” Chad asked, even if it was getting harder to stay coherent. Everything felt so _good_ , and Harry’s mouth was- _fuck_.

“I’m not gonna be writing ye love letters anytime soon,” Harry scoffed, working up Chad’s pectoral and oh- he was- he was licking Chad’s nipple, and that was apparently a thing Chad really liked. “But this is far from a one-and-done situation. No.” He shivered against Chad’s chest, low hand undoing the button and fly of Chad’s pants so he could squeeze him through his underwear. “I’m gonna take my time explorin’ ye, and I know you’re gonna like it from all the staring ye do.”

Chad flushed. “You are- objectively - good looking.”

“And now you’ve got an _‘objectively good looking_ ’ person doting on ye,” Harry hummed, working Chad faster. “It’s a win-win for both of us. We get to enjoy carnal pleasures with an individual we consider attractive without having to be tied down. So-” He squeezed Chad meaningfully, who let out this horribly _loud_ sort of whine. “Ye up for it, Kitten?”

“L-like friends with benefits?” Chad asked, vaguely remembering the term from one of his movies. 

Harry chuckled again, went back to biting Chad’s neck with a furious _suck_. “We’re not friends, but sure. Like that.”

“H-Harry,” Chad gasped, his hips stuttering into the other teen’s clever hand. “I’m gonna- I’m about to-”

“Do it,” Harry ordered. “If you’re interested. If you’re not, hold off.”

“I’m interested.” Chad was embarrassed with how _interested_ he was. “But you can’t- you can’t treat me any different-”

“Don’t worry,” the noble soothed with a voice dripping like honey. “Ye’ll still be my respected and clever princess in the morning.”

Chad shuddered _hard_ , Harry cataloging the reaction with a wicked grin. “Now come for me, my little darlin’,” he drawled. “I want to feel you fall apart in my hand. Come for me, _right now_.”

And. Well.

Chad had always been good at taking direction.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Harry ‘generously’ offered to lick Chad clean, but the blond had been too overwhelmed and embarrassed to consider the action even though he was sure it had been offered in jest. He cleaned himself up as best he could when they got back to the alterations shop, though Chad had to deal with the occasional look of satisfied hunger from Harry for the rest of the day.

It was weird, but not unlike Harry’s usual bratty behavior, so Chad found a way to come to terms with it, to make it a natural part of his schedule.

He was pretty sure he was breaking a rule of some kind, but until he figured out what it was, he may as well enjoy this, right? It was a natural, respectable evolution of their not-friendship.

Right.

Okay, so Chad was definitely going to freak out about this, but in the meantime he would also still probably kiss Harry, so at least he had _one_ thing ironed out in his life. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

Making out after lunch became a regular thing. And it was _weird_ , that someone like Harry would stoop to kissing someone like Chad, but it was also comforting because Harry was sure that their interactions were purely for the fun of it, because he thought Chad was _cute_ , and there was no room for potential romance to blossom. Which Chad had only considered for like _two seconds_ (he was only human, okay?) but now that he’d had confirmation that it wasn’t an option, he felt better. Like it was more believable. He probably would have had a way harder time of it if Harry had tried to woo him. Harry wooing _anyone_ seemed like an impossible picture, but wooing Chad was just pure lunacy.

But he wasn’t. They were just kissing, and sometimes things would get handsy, and Harry would slide a hand under Chad’s shirt or _into his pants_ and eventually Chad came to return the favor with an overwhelming sense of anxiety. Harry’s build was entirely solid muscle, and it was strange that he allowed Chad to touch him, actively _enjoyed_ it, even if Chad spent like half of the time worrying that he was getting his nervous hand sweat all over the explorer’s stomach.

Lunch seemed to change too. Instead of just always going to restaurants or cafes or food trucks, Harry would throw in the occasional picnic in the park. Sometimes he would drive them back to Evie’s castle so he could cook lunch _for_ them (refusing to let Chad help, not even with the dishes, merely herding him into a chair so the blond could read or trade small talk). Once he’d even shown Chad the ship Ben was going to leave under his command while it was getting prepped for their trip, and Harry had coaxed Chad into testing out his bed so they could ‘break it in’. 

Were Harry the kind for emotions, Chad would think they were almost dating. It seemed like they were, even though he _knew_ better. He tried to force the idea from his mind, even if he found himself staring at Harry more often than before, and the explorer just about always caught him, and each time he would offer Chad a pleased sort of smirk that made Chad flush all the way down to his toes. It was insanity, and different, but-

Chad liked it.

Which made him wonder how long it would last before it was taken away. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

“You know he’s just using you, right?” Lila announced one day after Harry had left, when it was just the two of them in the backroom and Chad was rushing to catch up on the work he had fallen behind on while staring at Harry. “He has no intention of dating you.”

“I know that.” Chad aimed a sharp look at her he normally wouldn’t indulge in, but his personal life was none of her business, regardless of how much she liked to pretend otherwise. “He already told me.”

“Then that’s even sadder,” she pressed. “You letting him use you like that. Have you had sex yet?”

“ _What?_ ” Chad had never- not with _anyone_ , least of all Harry. “No, we just kiss sometimes.” And touch. A _lot_ of touching, and sometimes Harry’s mouth got a little more enthusiastic than Chad anticipated…

“But he’s _going_ to have sex with you.” Lila abandoned her work so she could face Chad head on, as though preparing for a lecture. “And then when he’s seen everything you have to offer; he’ll throw you aside for being used goods.”

A hint of unease curled through Chad’s chest. “That’s not true.”

“Of course it’s true,” Lila scoffed. “You two aren’t _friends_. He doesn’t care about you. He probably saw your weird big lips and bashful eyes and figured you were a repressed slut, or something.”

“I’m not a slut,” Chad said, reaching up to cover his mouth because he hadn’t realized his lips were big, but Harry _did_ stare at them a lot. On second thought, so did drunk Jay. Maybe… maybe he just had slutty lips?

“You’re fooling around with a guy who will never date you,” Lila drawled with a roll of her eyes. “That is the epitome of sluttyness.” A sly sort of look crossed her features. “…is _that_ why you keep getting invited to the castle?”

Chad had been invited to Auradon castle a grand total of _twice_ but Lila seemed to think he was a regular visitor, despite his numerous and insistent protests.

“ _No_.” Chad flushed at the implication. “I borrow books sometimes-”

“Oh, really?” Lila cocked her head to the side. “So they haven’t made any moves on you like Harry? You’ve never caught them staring?”

He hadn’t, but then he was struck by the reminder of Jay’s angry voice asking if Ben had _fucked_ Chad’s mouth yet, if Mal had- if she’d-

And Mal had told him that wasn’t true but did they just want him to come back to ease him into things or was she actually uninterested?

Chad didn’t reply, but his expression must have given him away because Lila immediately threw her head back in a cackle. “Oh, that is just too good. No _wonder_ Lady Mal keeps visiting. She wants a desperate little blond to crawl into her bed.”

“She doesn’t need me.” Chad pressed, feeling so very uncomfortable in his skin.

“No one _needs_ you,” Lila groaned. “It’s like with Harry. You’d be the entertainment. A nice thing to sandwich between them because they _know_ how bad you want it.”

“But I _don’t!_ ” Chad didn’t know what else to say, what to do. He wondered if Evie had already seen this, and maybe _that_ was why she’d dressed him up like a girl, just so he could be their _eye candy_.

“Sure, you do,” Lila dismissed. “Or you wouldn’t throw yourself at Harry.”

“I don’t throw myself at Harry.” Or at least, Chad hadn’t tried to. Maybe he’d been doing it on accident. He didn’t know who to talk to about it who could give him a clear answer that wasn’t already friends with Harry, and Chad _didn’t know what to do_.

“Whatever,” Lila grumbled, settling back behind her machine. “Just don’t be too disappointed when they forget all about you after they get what they want. Maybe try to milk it out some. You may as well, right?”

Chad didn’t deign to answer her, too muddled in his own thoughts to manage such a thing. He turned back to his own work, though it offered him no solace, provided no distraction from Lila’s cheerful humming or the apparent fact that he gave off feelings of sluttyness just by _existing_. Maybe _that_ was why Gil had asked him to dance in the first place, why he’d been so eager to hunt him down again. Gil had been very forward with his affection, but he seemed to be that way for everyone.

Chad just didn’t know. It was amazing how he’d gone from feeling so happy about the benefits he had with Harry to feeling so entirely _stupid_ over them, and he had no one to blame but himself.

He would figure it out, eventually. Maybe he could ask Evie. Evie might put him straight.

It seemed like a good enough plan. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

The distance to Evie’s castle from the alterations shop was far greater than the distance to Chad’s cottage, which led to him peddling up the private drive around eight thirty. It wasn’t until he _got_ there that he realized what he was doing – forcing his presence upon someone who was likely busy late at night just to satisfy a nagging curiosity that may very well be _obvious_. If he had a phone, he could have just called Evie, but then again, if he hadn’t been so insistent to break _all_ of his father’s rules, he wouldn’t be dealing with this in the first place. The entire thing left him in knots.

He should go home. It was safely past dinner time and they were all probably relaxing before they went to bed, and they didn’t have time to entertain Chad. Even if he _did_ knock on the door, everyone would know he was there, and they’d want to know _why_ , when Chad really just wanted to have a private conversation with Evie so she could set him straight-

“What are you doing?”

The question just about gave Chad a heart attack, and he flinched so hard he almost fell off his bike entirely, only managed to stay upright through a last-minute recovery that left his heart pounding in his throat.

When he looked up, he was met with the substantially less angry gaze of Jay, who seemed to be sneaking _out_ of the castle.

As none of Chad’s past interactions with Jay had ever gone anywhere close to what he’d expected, he decided to give a straight answer before tactically retreating. “I um… wanted to talk to Evie, but I didn’t realize how late it was-”

“You could just call her,” Jay pointed out with a bored look.

Chad felt his shoulders hunch. “I don’t have a phone.”

“Of course you don’t,” Jay snorted, rolling his eyes. He gestured lazily towards the castle. “Just go in the side door, they’re all still awake.”

“ _No_ , I-” Chad flushed under the weight of Jay’s inspection, the other teen likely not expecting Chad’s response. “It’s a um… private conversation. And probably a dumb one so I- I just wanted to talk to _her_.”

And only her.

Jay considered him for a moment, expression entirely unreadable. Chad hated it, hated that drunk Jay was so much easier to deal with than angry Jay, or even this one, and wondered if he should turn his bike around now before anyone _else_ found him.

And then Jay sighed. 

It was a weary thing, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, and he motioned impatiently for Chad to get off his bike. Considering the fact that he wasn’t physically accosting Chad in some way, like he had the last two times, Chad relented, startling slightly when Jay grabbed the handlebars of his bike and started pushing it around the side of the house. 

It took a few moments for Chad to catch up, but he didn’t dare talk more than he had to, curious to see where Jay was going with this. The nobleman successfully nestled Chad’s bike in a set of bushes until it was safely hidden before unceremoniously grabbing onto the collar of Chad’s sweater and dragging him towards a large oak tree. He scaled it in easy movements before pausing, which was when Chad realized Jay wanted Chad to _follow_ him.

Chad had not climbed a tree since the last time his father had visited. He wasn’t supposed to do so unsupervised, and then he’d had other things to focus on, and recreational climbing had easily fallen by the wayside as both unnecessary and excessively dangerous.

_But_. Jay had climbed into Evie’s room before – _drunk_ , even – and maybe that was what they were doing now. Holy shit, that _was_ what they were doing now.

So Chad swallowed down his unease and scrambled up after Jay with substantially less grace, scaling the large branches of the tree in unpracticed movements before they _finally_ got to a large window ledge.

It was Jay who tapped on the glass, Jay who got Evie’s attention (Evie, who was thankfully in her room), who motioned for Chad to slide in once Evie opened the window.

“This guy wants to talk to you,” Jay explained. “ _Privately_.”

“For _advice_ ,” Chad rushed to clarify, though Jay was already disappearing out into the night as though he’d never been there, leaving Chad and Evie to their own devices.

“Be careful!” Evie called after Jay’s shadow. “And I swear if you get drunk again-”

“I’ll be fine, _mom_ ,” Jay lazily shouted back, and Evie offered his retreating form one last sigh before motioning Chad into her room.

“That boy,” she grumbled, pulling away from her windows with a weary groan. “But enough about him, what did you want to talk about, Kit?”

“I um- I needed an outside perspective,” Chad explained, sitting on a padded bench at the foot of her large bed. “From someone knowledgeable who wouldn’t be afraid to um- tell me the truth.”

“I’m flattered that I meet those qualifications,” Evie said with a smile, as though she was not _obviously_ the person for the job. “How can I help you?”

Chad tensed, because even though he’d managed to get to this point, he hadn’t really ever expected to have this conversation.

Evie seemed to sense his unease. “Whatever we talk about will be kept in the strictest of confidence.”

“Oh…” A distinct swell of relief went through Chad. “Thank you. I um…” He looked down, wondering where he should start. “Do I um… give off an obvious air of… sluttyness?”

He regretted the words almost as soon as he said them, a feeling that was only made worse by the shocked look on Evie’s face, as though shaken that he would have the- the _gall_ to ask that to a _princess_.

“Sorry,” he rushed to say, shoving to his feet. “Sorry, that’s a dumb question-”

“It’s not a dumb question,” Evie interrupted, kindly, but also not entirely true because why else had she been shocked. “No, Kit – you do _not_ give off an air of sluttyness. Why do you ask?”

“I…” Chad swallowed. Now that he was on his feet he didn’t know what to do. “Harry and I- we’ve been kissing, but just for fun. He _told_ me it’s just for fun and I’m okay with that, but my coworker said-” He lowered his voice, gaze flicking towards the door even though it was too far away for eavesdroppers to hear anything through it. “-she said that he only reason he _wants_ to do that is because I- _that’s_ the impression I leave. That I just want sex a lot and- and I wanted to know if that was true and if it _was,_ what I can do to change it because I don’t- I don’t want to be known for that-”

“Kit,” Evie cut in, crossing towards him and ever so carefully wrapping an arm around his shoulders, guiding him to sit back down the bench. “Just breathe for me, okay? Breathe for me nice and slow. In and out. In and out.”

Chad didn’t realize until she had him matching her slow movements that his breath had started coming too fast, that he had been working himself into a panic over the course of his question.

“First of all, if you and Harry are both comfortable with what you’re doing and you’re having fun – there’s nothing _wrong_ with it. It doesn’t make you slutty, and for the record, you do _not_ give off those kinds of vibes. Not even by a long shot.” She started rubbing circles on his forearms carefully, a distracting sort of movement that grounded him. “I think your coworker might just be jealous of what you have.”

Maybe, but that was too unfathomable a thing to consider, so Chad moved on. “So it’s… it’s okay that I like doing this, even though I know Harry will never want to date me?”

“Harry could never date you and it still wouldn’t make what you’re doing wrong, so long as both of you consent and are comfortable,” Evie replied sagely. “There’s nothing wrong with exploring the wonders of carnal relations-”

“ _Evie_.” Chad flushed, wishing he could hide his face in his hands, though unfortunately Evie was holding onto both of them.

“I’m serious,” she pressed. “There’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing if you’re _happy_.”

“She thinks Harry’s just using me,” Chad murmured, remembering the distinct wave of shame that had crashed over him that afternoon. “And then he’s going to throw me aside and forget me after we have sex.”

“Harry wouldn’t be able to forget you if he _tried_ ,” Evie said, so certain and true that Chad couldn’t even think to deny her. “And he’s… taking care of your needs, right? He’s not just taking what he wants?”

“Of course not,” Chad’s blush darkened, because somehow he was talking about this stuff with a _princess_ who acted like it was the most natural thing in the world. “He’s always careful to make sure we both have fun.”

“Then he’s not using you,” she declared. “If he was using you, he wouldn’t extend that effort. But he’s not, so your coworker is wrong, plain and simple.”

“Oh…” Chad felt a lot better. It all seemed foolish now, that he had been so worried. Why should he even care what Lila thought? Lila didn’t know _Harry_. She didn’t know Mal or Ben. 

Evie knew all of them and Evie was a princess. She had no reason to lead Chad astray, and if she did-

He didn’t want to think about it, but he figured it would hurt just as much as Harry tossing him to the side, so maybe he should just take the chance and believe her.

“Thank you, Evie,” he managed eventually, offering her a smile that was at least genuine. “I feel a lot better now.”

“Happy to help,” she chirped, and it didn’t even seem like a lie. “If you ever have any questions – about stuff like that or anything else, I’m here for you, okay? Even after Harry stops working at your shop, I’d like us to still be friends.”

“…I would like that,” Chad whispered, as though he was afraid addressing it would make her offer go away. “Thank you, Evie. I should- I should get going, now.”

“Now?” Evie asked, turning to look at her clock. “But it’s late.”

“All the more reason that I should get out of your hair,” Chad said, crossing back to her window. “I’ll um- see you the next time Harry brings me over-”

“No way,” Evie said, putting her foot down, and for one terrifying moment Chad thought she was banishing him from the castle, until, “You’re staying the night. Or at least let me give you a ride home.” She pulled him away from the window, squinting at her clock again. “Why are you out so late, anyway? I thought you and Harry got off at three.”

“I was running errands,” Chad lied, to a _princess_ , but if she knew he’d been at work the whole time she might _really_ put up a big stink about it. “And then I came straight here-”

“You’re staying the night,” Evie decided, dragging Chad from her room over his muttered protests. She guided him down the hall, towards a door with a weird Hook insignia painted on it before pushing it open without so much as a knock.

Thankfully, Harry was only sprawled across his couch (red velvet, much like the rest of the room, which was designed in shades of red, black, and white), reading a book that looked awfully similar to the ones Chad borrowed from Ben’s library.

“I brought you a guest,” Evie declared, offering Chad a bright grin. “Since you both have to get up early anyway, I figured Kit could bunk with you.”

Harry tossed his book aside with as scowl, and even in his sleeping clothes, he looked unfairly handsome. “What did ye do, kidnap him?”

“Something like that,” Evie hummed, giving Chad one last clap on the back before walking out of the room. “Make sure he eats something too; he’s been running errands all night.” 

“That isn’t necessary,” Chad tried to protest, but Harry was already growling, shifting to his feet and dragging Chad down towards the kitchen, muttering uncomplimentary things under his breath all the while about how Chad refused to _‘take decent care of himself_ ’ and _‘stupid blonds_ ’ and yet he managed to dig out a selection of food that Chad had shown an appreciation towards over the past few weeks and gave Chad an expectant look until he ate a full plate of them before dragging him back upstairs to shower, scrounging up yet another set of Gil’s sleeping clothes for Chad to change into.

At this point, Chad was pretty sure Harry always chose _Gil_ to steal clothes from because the nobleman was so much bigger than Chad, to the point where Chad swam in the borrowed sweatshirts, the collar hanging off him awkwardly until his collarbone was exposed, the sleeves dragging low to cover his hands. 

When Chad tried to grumble about this, Harry simply gave him a kiss, until they fell into a heated make out session that Chad didn’t once freak out about. 

This was _theirs_. And as long as Harry was willing, as long as they had the _time_ , then Chad would cherish that. He wasn’t going to let someone like Lila or angry Jay steal that from him. Not when he’d already lost so much.

So he grabbed onto this with both hands and was hopeful for the future, because even when it _did_ inevitably end, at least Chad had gotten a wonderful experience out of it.

And while that was a gift he could not hoard away in his closet like everything else, he would cherish it none the less. Because it was worth it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter, everyone!!! I hope everyone is having a lovely day!!! Thanks so much to everyone who left comments, who kudo-ed, and bookmarked, and subscribed. All your support is greatly appreciated, and it always makes me smile!!!
> 
> Story notes: 
> 
> For the record, Chad’s lips are a perfectly respectable size – Lila is just an asshat. That is all.
> 
> Until next time :)


	7. Unconventional Friend Acquisition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: The first scene of the chapter toes the line of dubious consent. Mostly Chad is confused, but if you’re sensitive about these kinds of issues, please see the endnotes for a rough summary of the scene.

Chad struggled towards awareness with a moan, a stinging sort of heat surging through his body, tinges of electricity shooting down his torso until it pooled distinctly between his legs. Chad, of course, was no stranger to wet dreams – though in his experience they seemed to be an accumulation of vague sensations that left him waking up with a mess rather than the _pointed_ stimulation his body felt that evening. _Fuck_ , there was warmth around him, a steady sort of suction Chad had only ever dreamt about but even that had been embarrassed, thinking about mouths going _there_ but that was what it felt like. 

His pajama pants and underwear had been pushed down his thighs in his sleep, leaving him exposed in a delicious way he would pay more heed to were he not thrown by the feeling of hot skin curled around his hips. Hands- there were hands holding him in place as his body instinctively reacted to the pleasure it was receiving, and Chad was slowly beginning to realize that this wasn’t a dream at all.

While he was tired, Chad was too coherent for this to be an illusion – the pitch-black bedroom around him too solid, unyielding. He was awake and someone was huddled above him- _sucking_ on him and Chad should be concerned, should be _terrified_ , but it felt so good – better than anything he’d known.

“H-Harry?” Chad gasped, pressing a hand to his mouth when he felt a tongue _do things_ to him. “Are- is that-?”

Was he making good on his promises? The filthy things he whispered into Chad’s ear as a tease? Only he had waited until the dark of night, for Chad to be asleep, to act on them. 

_Why_? Did that intensify things? Had Chad alluded to _wanting_ that without knowing? He was out of his depth and embarrassed by his strong reactions, only the mouth on him didn’t seem to mind, slurping sounds increasing to a vulgar level that filled Chad with excitement.

“ _Harry_ ,” Chad groaned again, one of those broad hands sliding under him to squeeze his butt, urging Chad deeper into his mouth. “Harry, I’m gonna- I can’t-”

Chad fell apart with a broken cry, legs twitching as Harry eagerly swallowed the remnants of their misdeeds, continuing to suck and lick at Chad through the aftershocks until he was an oversensitive mess.

“Harry, _please_ ,” Chad groaned when the nobleman kept slurping at him. “I can’t- it’s too much.”

The mouth finally left him with a reluctant hum, wet lips brushing against Chad’s thigh with a low groan. “ _Fuck_.”

That was _not_ Harry’s voice.

In fact, that was a voice Chad had only heard a handful of times – and that was what found him scrambling through his panic to turn on the lamp, illuminating the person that was splayed across the lower half of his bed.

He sort of wished he hadn’t. 

It was Jay – clad in wrinkled sleeping clothes with his long silky hair spilling haphazardly out of a low pony, and from the flush dusting his sharp cheeks he was very, _very_ drunk. 

_Again_.

“Pretty,” Jay murmured, pressing kisses against Chad’s thigh while his hands just sort of pet- everywhere. “You’re so fucking pretty.”

“J-Jay?” Chad sat up, tried to pull himself from drunk guy’s hold but he was as strong as he looked, sleek muscles pinning Chad in place with little effort as he began to nuzzle Chad’s groin.

“I’m Jay,” the teen slurred, like he couldn’t remember that they’d already met before. “Work with- Harry. He talks about you a lot.” Jay giggled to himself. “He says you’ve got _benefits_.”

Chad flushed, fingers fumbling against Jay’s stupidly strong hands. “With _Harry_ , not with people I barely know.”

There was so little about this scene that made sense, and Chad was positive he was only holding onto his coherence through sheer disbelief of it all. This wasn’t an almost-stranger in his bed, this wasn’t Harry’s friend who Harry had apparently _bragged_ to – this _couldn’t be happening_.

“But it was good,” Jay whined, _licking_ Chad again and _fuck_ , he was still sensitive. “You made good sounds. _I_ did that.” He pressed this point like this was important. “‘Cuz I can do that. I can _make_ people feel good.” 

“Maybe stick to people who know you better,” Chad offered, managing a rational conversation with a drunk man instead of falling into hysteria out of what was likely panic. “Would you _stop_?”

“ _No_ ,” Jay groaned, licking a stripe on Chad’s inner thigh. “No. Because Mal is mad at me, and I hate it.”

Chad paused, allowing Jay to begin sucking a mark on his thigh as he tried to process that. “…I’m not following your reasoning.”

“She thinks I’m _selfish_ ,” Jay murmured between licks, his hair tickling Chad’s _place_. “But look, I’m not selfish at all. I made you feel good. I _helped_ , just like everyone else is helping.”

“I don’t- um- think this was what she had in _mind-_ ” Chad cut off with a moan because one of Jay’s hands wandered between his legs again, cradling the oversensitive flesh with teasing strokes.

“Harry brags about you all the time,” Jay slurred, burying his face in Chad’s thigh as his hand worked faster. “An’ I wanted- I wanted to help. And this is what I’m best at.”

“I- I’m sure that’s not true,” Chad stuttered, wondering how this midnight accosting had turned into a therapy session.

“Sure it _is_ ,” Jay huffed. “Can’t steal, ‘cuz that’s against the law. Can’t be too rough in Tourney, ‘cuz I might be a _monster_. Can’t flirt too much or I’m a slut, but I’ve _always_ been a slut, so-” He ground his palm _hard_ between Chad’s legs, making the blond jolt with a broken whine. “…this is me, helping.”

“You- you should- _Jay-_ ” Chad groaned when that hand moved faster. “Please, Jay – you don’t have to-”

“Gonna make you feel so good,” Jay warned, and then he was flipping Chad, turning him so he was face down on his blankets.

“ _Jay?_ ” Chad’s voice rose to an uncomfortable pitch. He couldn’t help it, not with the way his heart was pounding in his chest and Jay was- _kissing_ him, the curve of his rear, licking and sucking and it was so disconcerting but Chad still wasn’t losing his um- _interest_ -

“Look at that,” Jay’s hot breath coasted against him, those broad hands _parting_ Chad so he could look at his- “It’s so cute.”

“It is _not_ cute.” Chad’s face was on fire, his whole body was hot from being tormented by this person he only tangentially knew, who had managed to break into Chad’s house in the dead of night drunk off his ass, who was now _licking_ \- “Jay!”

“Yep.” He could feel Jay _grin_ against him. “Gonna taste you, blondie.”

And then that was- that was exactly what he did. 

He licked and swirled and Chad hated how much he liked it, hated the way his heart stopped when he felt Jay’s tongue push _into_ him. He kept thrusting it in and out, going deeper and deeper until Chad was sobbing – not even from violation but from- he didn’t know what. Being overwhelmed? It felt so good, and he _wanted_ it, even though all of his past experiences with Jay had been chaotic at best. 

“ _Jay_ ,” Chad crooned when one of those hands slipped beneath him, toying with him in a manner that would soon make him lost to the world. “Jay. Jay, I’m gonna-”

He did. He fell apart _right_ onto his blanket but Jay never stopped, just kept moving his hand and thrusting his tongue until Chad could do nothing but shake and whine. 

What was wrong with him? Too many things to list, probably. Was this actually a dream? He had to be dreaming, nothing else made sense. 

It seemed like an eternity passed before Jay nudged Chad onto his side, pulling his clothes back into position in sloppy movements.

“…was it good?” Jay mumbled against Chad’s neck, gluing himself to Chad’s back the way two people would snuggle next to each other on the cover of those erotic romance novels he wasn’t supposed to check out. It was strange to feel someone so closely aligned to his body, but it was also nice and the niceness was what Chad chose to focus on because otherwise he might start crying, and he didn’t really have time for that.

He would… he should sleep. Things would be more manageable in the morning. Maybe Jay would disappear by then, vanish like the ghost of Chad’s imagination.

He could only hope, though it was likely a misplaced one. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

The alarm clock rang too soon, and came with a bounty of disappointments.

The first of which being that the solid body curled around Chad was still _there_ , meaning last night _hadn’t_ been a vivid and randomly envisioned wet dream but an actual _thing_. And Chad didn’t know what to do about it, because he had to go to work and he wasn’t even supposed to talk to people anyway, and he _definitely_ wasn’t supposed to talk to the police and he probably shouldn’t do that either because Jay was friends with Mal and Ben.

This was a later problem, Chad decided. He was going to get up and go to work and Jay would be gone by the time he got home, and then it wouldn’t be a problem anymore. That was it. That was all Chad was going to do.

So, with a renewed sort of determination Chad crawled out from Jay’s stupidly tight hold and scrawled a quick note for the explorer asking him to please show himself out once he was coherent enough to safely drive home. 

After that, he went on to work. And everything was _fine_. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

Everything was substantially less fine when Chad was finally peddling home, only to discover that the red car haphazardly parked at the base of the path to his cottage was still _there_ , and with it, likely Jay. 

Chad tried to keep himself calm as he made his way up the path, though by the time he stored his bike away he had worked himself into a proper state of anxiety, which made his entrance likely more spastic than needed. He shoved the door open with a rough push, the wood ricocheting off the wall in a thunderous clatter that seemed to startle Jay, who had been hunched over on the couch with his head in his hands, more than it did Chad. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Jay hissed, scrambling to his feet. He squinted in Chad’s direction as though the very act of movement pained him and held up the crumpled note in his hand. “Hey, um- I know you asked me to leave and all, but there’s some uh… stuff from last night that I don’t quite remember but I sort of need to ask you about before I can, you know…” He gestured towards the door.

Chad swallowed, edging his way towards the kitchen where the knives were kept, using the impression that he needed to set down his bag. “Okay, sure.”

“.... great.” Jay stood there sort of awkwardly. “I’m um- Jay, by the way. Don’t think I ever properly introduced myself.”

“You didn’t.” Chad wished his voice sounded less tense. “…I’m Kit.”

“Right.” Jay nodded. “I knew that.” At Chad’s look, he elaborated. “Harry sends us pictures of you sometimes.”

“He does?” Chad’s anxiety was momentarily bypassed in favor of genuine confusion. “When did he take pictures?”

“Usually when you’re working,” Jay dismissed, like it was normal to take photos without people knowing about them. “And then he’ll text them out and-” He seemed to realize he was getting off track. “Look, as you probably guessed, I got _really_ drunk yesterday and – well first of all, I’m super sorry for breaking into your house. It seemed like a really necessary thing at the time, even though it, you know, _wasn’t_.”

Well… at least he acknowledged that much. “Okay.” Chad swallowed. “Apology accepted.”

A relieved grin spread across Jay’s face. “Thank you. Now um…” His cheeks heated in a furious blush. “I uh- know it likely didn’t happen, but I have these um- blurs of…” He rubbed an embarrassed hand across his face. “Just- I didn’t _touch_ you, did I?”

Thankfully, he couldn’t seem to bring himself to look at Chad, so he missed the blond’s immediate and unyielding look of panic.

“Um.” Chad wasn’t sure why _he_ felt embarrassed, except maybe about being unable to fend off really buff drunk dudes. “You uh- yes, you did.”

Jay’s head immediately swiveled towards him with an expression of shock. “Did I-? Was it just cuddling, or…?”

“You uh…” Chad wished the floor would swallow him whole. “You woke me up with a blowjob.”

“ _Fuck_.” Jay groaned into his hands, immediately collapsing back onto the couch. “Fuck, fuck, _fuck_. Did I-?” He looked back up, fretful and sad. “Does that mean the other thing-?”

Chad’s blush darkened. “…yes.”

“ ** _Fuck_** ,” Jay cursed. “Fuck, I am so sorry I- _fuck_. We can- I’ll call Ben right now; you can report me and we’ll take care of this nice and quiet.”

Chad blinked at the sudden shift in conversation. “What?”

“I’ll give a full confession,” Jay continued. “We don’t have to make this public unless you want to, because you’d be well within your rights to want that and-”

“Hey, no.” Chad found himself moving from the safety of the kitchen to Jay’s side, hovering sort of awkwardly near the couch. “I’m not- I don’t want to report you.”

“I _assaulted_ you,” Jay groaned, and to his credit he seemed heartbroken over this, thus implying that his actions were kindled mostly if not entirely from his intoxicated state. “You need justice. You _deserve_ justice and if Mal found out about this and that I _didn’t_ turn myself in-”

“Okay, just- calm down.” Chad settled on the couch next to Jay, awkwardly patting his bicep and wishing he were better at communicating with people. “Your actions – while _entirely_ random, came from a place of drunken logic, and I think you um- you really need to talk to Mal, because some of the stuff you said yesterday really isn’t okay.”

“Oh fuck,” Jay hissed, pressing a hand against his eyes. “What did I say to you? Did I call you a whore?”

“What?” That was not what Chad meant. “No, it was stuff you were saying about _yourself_. About how you’re only good for sex and you um- wanted to help like everyone else did and that’s- that’s not right, at all. And-” Chad didn’t really know what was going on but he figured he may as well go for broke. “Mal doesn’t think you’re selfish.”

“Oh _yes_ , she does,” Jay snorted, leaning back against the couch. “She thinks I’m selfish for taking a gap year to explore.”

“But that’s your job.”

“Well.” Jay shrugged. “Ben sort of made _it_ my job when I expressed an interest, because you know – royal connections – and she’s mad I’m going away while she has to plan this big wedding like that doesn’t just _kill_ me anyway, so-” He rubbed a hand across his face. “It’s so stupid. I’ve never been out of Central Auradon. I just wanted to see the world.”

“…that’s not unfair,” Chad said quietly. He understood Jay’s longing, even if he didn’t understand why the other teen hadn’t struck out yet if he had the means. Maybe he’d been busy with family duties, or whatever rich people did. “And Ben trusts you to do that much. It seems to me like maybe Mal is just… afraid of how much she’ll miss you.”

“Yeah, right,” Jay snorted. “Mal’s too cool for stuff like that, especially for _me_.”

“You shouldn’t sell yourself short.”

“Says the blond to the guy who drunkenly assaulted him.”

“Will you stop saying that?” Chad hissed. “I’m not going to press charges. Granted, I’m not of the belief that good intentions should excuse poor behavior, but you um- for whatever reason – seemed really determined that you were doing a good thing. And for the record, you are good for more than just _sex_.”

“How would you know?” Jay pressed, focusing on the last part when he likely realized he wouldn’t be getting anywhere on the first. “That’s all you’ve seen me do.”

And it had been, well, _fantastic_ sex which was sort of amazing considering the fact that Jay had been so drunk he barely remembered it, but Chad was of the firm belief that Mal wouldn’t be a strong enough friend to miss this guy if that was literally _all_ he was good for, and Gil wouldn’t like him as much if he had no other redeeming qualities.

“Then show me,” Chad decided, pulling his shoulders back. “You want a punishment? Show me what you’re good at.”

Jay stared at him as though Chad were an incomprehensible thing, but Chad would not be cowed, especially when Jay’s only crime was caring too much. And minor assault, but that was something Chad was willing to ignore.

“…okay,” he said after a brief pause, gaze shifting into something determined. “I can do that.”

And thus began an unlikely friendship.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“So,” Chad began awkwardly, staring down at his little paper tray of food. That day’s lunch was taken in the park after they’d taken a tour of the local food trucks, and he and Harry were trading bits and pieces of their eclectic gatherings of food. “I had a um- question.”

Harry, who was accustomed to a direct line of conversation, raised a brow at him. “Well? Ask it.”

“Right.” Chad felt his shoulders hunch, then consciously convinced them to relax. “So um- since I’m not as… up-to-date on this sort of stuff as you, I had a question about our um- ‘benefits’.”

Harry froze, eyes narrowing slightly. “What about them?”

“Did you tell anyone about them?” Chad asked, despite knowing the answer to the question. “Can _I_ tell anyone about them? Granted, I don’t have many people _to_ tell, but I wasn’t sure if that was a social mistake or not.”

Harry considered this, then rolled his eyes, relaxing. “Ye don’t _need_ to tell anyone about it – this is a private thing between ye and me.”

“Right.” Chad nodded. “So you haven’t told anyone?”

“It’s no one’s business but our own,” Harry didn’t quite lie, taking a bite of a chocolate glazed croissant/donut hybrid.

…okay then, so maybe Harry was just a gigantic hypocrite since he’d literally shared their _private thing_ with Jay, a person that Chad hadn’t met, as far as Harry knew.

Still, it was fine. That just meant Chad didn’t have to tell anyone about the thing between him and Harry. Obviously, he _could_ if he wanted to, because Harry had, but he didn’t _have_ to.

Which, he decided, would make things easier.

There was nothing to be ashamed of.

With that in mind, Chad dug into his macaroni and cheese stuffed burger, deciding not to make life more complicated than it needed to be. There was no sense in borrowing trouble.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Because Jay, like Harry, was still in the planning period for his year-long trip around Auradon, he had plenty of time to help Chad out. The nobleman decided to take on some of the heavier chores – like weeding and cutting firewood and fixing things around the cottage that Chad had only been able to haphazardly patch. He’d often be at the cottage when Chad was at work, updating something or other and leaving a few containers of food waiting on the counter as a sort of unspoken apology. After the first day, Chad had discovered that his sheets had been replaced with these ridiculously luxurious duplicates that Chad had _tried_ to complain about before Jay reminded him that it was his fault the originals had gotten dirty in the first place. 

It was sort of like having this weird helpful ghost, and Chad didn’t know what to do with the free time it gave him save for maybe read a little bit more and try to knit something for his unexpected acquaintance, because that only seemed fair. 

Chad didn’t actually _see_ Jay again until a week later when he was getting ready for bed and there was a quiet knock on the door. A month ago, Chad would have heard that sound and immediately panicked, but now he had a bounty of people who were eccentric enough to visit him late at night, so he thought nothing of opening the door.

A slightly bedraggled Jay greeted him on the other side. “Hey.” He flapped his hand in a lazy greeting. “I um… know I have no right to ask you this, but uh… could I sleep here tonight?”

Chad wasn’t sure what his cottage could possibly offer that Ben’s castle didn’t have, but Jay looked sort of like he hadn’t slept since his drunken overture. 

“Of course.” Chad beckoned him inside, relocking the door behind him. “I um- don’t have many extra blankets, but the couch is a lot softer than it looks…”

He trailed off when he noticed Jay was still fidgeting by the door, his hands twisting in the hem of his long sleeve shirt. “I- _fuck_ ,” he groaned, rubbing a hand across his face. “Look, I know most of our interactions have been… not great, but I just- I can’t sleep, and I’m really tired of feeling alone and I figured…” He shrugged. “I thought you might feel alone too and- _fuck_.” He turned back towards the door. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come.”

“Jay.” Chad found himself placing a hand on the other teen’s shoulder, the muscles tensing beneath his hand. “You can… we can share my bed, if you want.” Warmth blossomed across his cheeks at the sheer audacity of the suggestion, but the words were already out there. “I um… wouldn’t mind the company.”

Jay’s shoulders slumped. “I promise no funny business,” he mumbled. “I _promise_ , I just want to sleep.”

“I believe you.” Before he could overthink it, Chad grabbed onto the taller teen’s wrist, tugging him gently towards the bedroom. He let Jay get settled while he finished his evening routine, and by the time he got back his bed seemed to have accumulated a few extra pillows and a new fluffy blanket that Jay seemed to know nothing about, though he was also mostly passed out under the covers, so Chad wasn’t able to interrogate him much.

It was a battle he would have to take up tomorrow, along with a few other things. These were, of course, problems for later.

For now, they had sleep.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The sleepover seemed to initiate a new status quo, one that Chad found himself okay with. Despite his and Jay’s rocky beginning, he had become fond of the guy who had taken to appearing at the cottage in the dead of night, sneaking into Chad’s bed with an open sort of relief. A few times Chad had woken to the two of them curled together, cuddled with a sort of ease that made him breathless. He wondered if this was what it was like to have a significant other – though that was a stupid train of thought. At best he and Jay were acquaintances, and Jay only slept in his bed because he seemed unable to find solace anywhere else, driven to sleeplessness by the guilt of upsetting Mal, who he _still_ hadn’t talked to.

It was all foolish and unnecessarily complicated, though Chad found it difficult to call Jay out for that when he started reading to Chad just before bed, dutifully reciting a chapter of Chad’s latest book – with voices and all – being generally charming and dumb and so drastically unfair for even existing. 

It was a weird change.

But, Chad decided, it was a good one.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“- _they were drawn to each other, a magnetic pull that couldn’t be broken no matter how valiantly it was fought_ ,” Jay read, in a dramatically whimsical voice.“ _There in the shadows, bathed only in slivers of pale moonlight, could they succumb to what laid before them without regret. Despite the battle that had long been fought, it took very little for Maris to reach out her hand, letting her fingers trail across the line of Ayer’s jaw. In perfect synchronicity, they moved together, lips brushing against each other in a long-awaited kiss._ ”

Chad was grateful Jay’s focus was glued to the book because otherwise the nobleman would have seen the stupid look on Chad’s face – flushed from the description but endlessly entertained by Jay’s narration of an epic romantic conclusion. It was enough to make him feel giddy, which was likely why he didn’t register Jay’s pause until a few moments of awkward silence had passed.

“And then what?” Chad asked, swatting at Jay’s thigh.

The explorer, who had his back pressed against the cracked headboard, seemed tempted to hide behind the book. “Um… well, then they have sex.”

He passed the book over before Chad could ask for clarification, allowing the blond to discover for himself that they, indeed, began to have _sex_.

“I can’t believe this,” Chad muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. “The _queen_ recommended this book.”

“Maybe Ben snuck this one in as a joke,” Jay offered. “It’s by a different author than the other ones.”

“Yes, let’s go with that,” Chad decided, wishing he wouldn’t get flustered so easily. “Why don’t we just skip that part?”

“What, you don’t want any highlights?” Jay asked, deftly snatching the book from Chad’s hands. “You’re not interested in hearing about the way he ‘ _slowly ravished her body in a thorough exploration, allowing no part of her to be neglected, for all held tumultuous beauty_ ’?”

“Jay,” Chad whined.

“How about the way he _‘gradually freed her from the confines of her bra, gazing upon the soft curves of her breasts with an open adoration – sweet, pink nipples pebbling under his attention’_?”

“Jay.” Chad swatted at his thigh again. “Come on, be serious.”

“I’m deadly serious,” Jay chirped with a wag of his brows. “How could I not be when ‘ _he slipped his hand down her quivering abdomen, allowing his fingers to curl into the wet heat of her panties, palming the firm interest that strained against the silky fabric, begging for attention_ ’? Oh- _ho_ ,” Jay cheered. “Seems like Maris was a crossdresser after all.”

“She was _not_ ,” Chad sputtered, sitting up with a flush. “That’s a plot twist that would undermine the rest of the story.”

“Okay, so maybe she’s not,” Jay sighed, letting the book flop against his chest. “But face it, you _liked_ that idea.”

“ _No_ ,” Chad denied, a little too quickly, causing Jay’s face to light up with delighted wickedness.

“You _do_ ,” Jay cheered, tossing the book onto the nightstand. “Or maybe you just like the idea of being worshipped. Or both?”

“Jay,” Chad sighed.

“Cuz I’d be happy to worship you,” Jay continued, relentless in his tease.

Chad flushed, unable to help himself, forever cursing his lack of poker face. It only got worse when Jay seemed to perk up, studying his expression with relentless intensity.

“…do you want me to do that?” Jay’s voice was softer than before, as though less certain, and it was then that Chad realized he felt genuine trepidation. “If you tell me to stop, I’ll stop,” he continued. “I won’t do anything you don’t want to do.”

“Why are you so interested in this?” Chad asked, not quite able to meet his eye. “You don’t _get_ anything out of it.”

“Sure, I do,” Jay countered. “Have you looked in the mirror? You’re gorgeous. I would get to make a gorgeous person, who is also my friend, feel good. I see nothing but benefits.”

Just when Chad thought he couldn’t flush any harder, Jay had to go and say stuff like _that_. He hadn’t even known they were friends, but in hindsight, you probably didn’t regularly share a bed with someone who was just an acquaintance. 

Wow, Jay _liked_ him.

“I… okay,” Chad said eventually. This was just like with Harry, except Jay considered Chad an actual friend, so maybe this was better? “Just- go slow, okay?”

Jay blinked, as though he hadn’t expected Chad to relent. “Okay,” he chirped. “Yes, I can totally do that.”

“What do I need to do?” Chad asked as Jay set the book aside, lowering himself so he was stretched out beside Chad.

“You don’t have to do anything except tell me what makes you feel good,” Jay explained with a light grin. “May I take your shirt off?”

“Um.” Chad felt his pulse begin to quicken, though he managed a shaky nod. “Sure.”

They were doing this. They were doing this and it didn’t mean anything permanent, which Chad guessed was an Auradon thing. Or maybe a noble thing. Chad hadn’t read anything about nonromantic intimate relations before, but he was comfortable with what he was doing with Harry, and there was no reason he couldn’t repeat the process with Jay. Evie had already said it was natural, Chad shouldn’t overthink this.

Still, he couldn’t help but shiver when Jay began pushing the hem of his shirt up his chest, pressing kisses against trembling skin as though it were the easiest thing in the world. Chad felt clumsy when he helped Jay pull the garment completely off, though the other teen didn’t seem to mind, raking a hungry gaze over Chad’s torso as though it held the secrets to the universe.

“Huh,” Jay mused, thumb brushing against Chad’s nipple, the small bud already firm with interest. “Guess you really liked that bra comment.”

“ _Jay_ ,” Chad hissed, though it morphed into a moan when that clever tongue started lapping against his pectoral, teasing him with light nips until finally his lips wrapped around Chad’s nipple, giving it a firm _suck_.

“Like that?” Jay asked between licks, as though Chad was not writhing beneath his hands. “Is this good?”

“Yes, yes,” Chad gasped, letting his fingers curl through Jay’s silky hair. “P-please, keep going.”

“So polite,” Jay mused, but he did just that, switching to Chad’s other nipple before bringing up his lanky fingers to pinch at the abandoned nub. “I could get you some lingerie, you know.”

“ _Jay_.” Chad did not know many things, but he was pretty sure a guy wearing ladies’ underwear could be seen as nothing but perverted. Dares excluded. “D-don’t say stuff like that.”

“Why?” Jay asked, his free hand sliding down Chad’s abdomen with meaningful shifts, teasing at the skin above the waistline of his pajamas before it delved lower. “Does it make you wet?” He cupped his hand between Chad’s legs, squeezing at the bulge that strained against his clothing, making Chad shudder and croon. “You’d look real pretty in some, too. Maybe something pink and lacy.”

Chad gasped, free hand groping at Jay’s bicep and while he thought it was for support, but part of him wanted to feel the muscles under his fingers, see how easily Jay handled him. “I- I couldn’t um- do that.”

“Yes, you could,” Jay countered so easily, moving the hand between Chad’s legs in more pointed shifts. “May I um- move the rest of your clothing out of the way?”

Chad’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. With Harry he had only ever progressed to aggressive make outs and occasional groping that resulted in increased laundry duty. Disregarding their initial encounter, Chad hadn’t been seen bare in front of another person before, and it wasn’t like Jay even really _remembered_ that particular tryst.

Not trusting his voice, Chad nodded, giving Jay’s arms a squeeze when he knew he wouldn’t be able to verbalize the response.

Jay took this answer with a carefree grin, urging Chad’s pants and underwear down his thighs in one easy motion.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he groaned, staring between Chad’s legs like it was anything particularly special. “You think _this-_ ” He wrapped his hands around Chad, giving him torturously slow pumps. “-wouldn’t look _amazing_ wrapped in silk? Because it would. _You_ would.” He started moving his hands faster, coaxing Chad’s hips into a furious rut. “Just thinking about you wearing them to work- having lunch with Harry- going about your day – with no one else knowing? _Fuck_.” He started pressing kisses against the curve of Chad’s neck, who was close to totally gone. “You can’t imagine how happy I’d be to strip your clothes off at the end of the day so I could spread you out just like this.”

“ _Jay_ ,” Chad moaned, clutching onto him desperately. “I’m gonna- I-”

“Do it,” Jay pressed. “Just for me, Kit. I wanna see it. Please, let me see it.”

With a particularly hard grind Chad fell apart, body falling into helpless tremors while Jay guided him through the aftermath. He kept teasing Chad even when he had nothing left to give, toying with oversensitive flesh until Chad was clutching onto his clothes with a pitiful whine.

“J-Jay.” Chad whined.

“Does it feel good?” Jay asked, keeping his movements slow and steady. “I think you can go again.”

“ _Again_?” Sure, Chad had managed as much before, but another round like that could very well kill him. At least from embarrassment. “I don’t- I don’t think I can.”

“Is this stirring an interest?” Jay asked, continuing to move his hand. “How about I um- try something? And if you don’t like it, we’ll call it a night.”

“L-like what?” Chad was mildly mortified to find that he was already getting worked up again, even after he’d _just_ fallen apart.

“Don’t freak out,” Jay warned, and then with slow, projected movements, he pushed his own pajama pants out of the way, revealing his _own_ -

“ _Wow_ ,” Chad breathed before he could think about it, flushing with humiliation when he realized what he’d said because _sure_ , he’d seen pictures in art books, but he’d never- not up _close_.

“Yeah.” Jay grinned, practically preening. “It’s a thing of beauty, right? Not as good as yours-”

“Don’t _say_ that,” Chad whined.

“Why not?” Jay asked. “Here, let’s have a comparison.”

“How are you gonna-?” Chad cut off when Jay just sort of- angled them together and this was- Chad should be freaking out, his genitals were touching Jay’s genitals and that was a very big deal, and then Jay sort of had a hand wrapped around _both_ of them and it was very hot and mildly terrifying but it also felt really good.

“Just like this,” Jay groaned, pumping them together. “You feel so fucking good, Kit.”

“You’re um- big,” Chad said, for lack of any other coherent thought going through his brain and _why couldn’t he be less awkward_.

Jay gave a breathless laugh. “And you’re a _treat_ ,” he countered, which was a nice way of saying Chad was comparatively minimal and holy fuck, what if Harry was also that big and Chad was just- developmentally challenged. That had never been a concern before _that_ moment, but Jay certainly didn’t seem to care, happy to thrust them together.

“So pretty,” Jay continued. “And if you were wearing panties-” Chad groaned, squeezing his eyes closed as though that could shut out Jay’s incorrigible plans. “I could slide into them right next to you, just like this.”

“ _Oh_.” The very broken part of Chad liked that imagery, found himself rutting eagerly into Jay’s hold, making the other teen chuckle.

“Would you like that?” Jay asked. “To feel us pressed together like that? We’d probably ruin your panties too, make a real _mess_.”

Chad moaned, past the point of feeling embarrassed by what seemed to be very weird needs in him. 

“You are doing a bad job of being discouraging,” Jay huffed. “What even. How did you stumble into my life?”

“T-technically you stumbled into _mine_ ,” Chad gasped, only to be met with the sight of Jay’s narrowed eyes.

“You should not be capable of multi-syllable words,” Jay decided, and then he rutted them into a proper frenzy to make good on that declaration. 

Later, after Jay had licked Chad clean (Chad, who had taken the brunt of the mess), they collapsed into boneless heaps beside each other, comfortably sharing each other’s space.

“ _That_ is a good book,” Jay decided. “Can’t wait to read the next chapter.”

“Ditto,” Chad breathed, giving up all pretense of not being a sexually-curious individual. 

The very confirmation made a giant smile break across Jay’s face, and while Chad _might_ come to regret this later, he found that he certainly wasn’t going to do it _now_. So that had to count for something. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys!!! Thank you for all the lovely feedback and support!!! I'm deeply grateful for all of those who decided to stick with this crazy train, so thank you for the comments, kudos, bookmarks, and subscriptions. They are all very much appreciated ^_^ 
> 
> Story Notes:
> 
> In the real world, this relationship obviously would not work, but this is the fake Descendants world, so please suspend your disbelief for just a bit longer :)
> 
> WARNING: Basically Drunk Jay wizards his way into Chad’s cottage in the dead of night to sexually pleasure him. Based on his drunken logic, this is what he’s best at, and since everyone else seems to be helping Chad, Drunk Jay thought this would be his best way to contribute to the situation. Obviously, this is very much not the case. 
> 
> Until next time :)


	8. Additional Benefits Package

“What are you doing?”

Chad did not jolt at the sound of Jay’s voice because he was getting used to these late-night excursions. He would have given Jay a spare key if he’d had one, but fortunately such things were unnecessary for the nobleman, who seemed to take lockpicking as sort of a personal challenge. It explained why he was able to break into Evie’s castle so easily. 

“Cleaning,” Chad replied, turning back to his closet of treasures. He tried to attend to them at least every other day, but it was a tricky thing. He didn’t want to touch them for fear of ruining them, but he also didn’t want dust to accumulate on them from neglect. It was a very fine balancing act, but Chad weathered it nonetheless.

“I can see that.” Jay pulled up to the entrance of Chad’s closet, lounging against the door frame with a casual blink. His hair was in a loose bun today, and like everything else, he pulled it off with unfair ease. “But what _is_ this stuff?”

“Presents,” Chad explained with a sweep of his hand, carefully inspecting each of the pairs of cufflinks in their velvet cases (he’d accumulated about four sets, through no effort of his own) before setting them back in their rightful place. 

Jay was silent for a moment, his gaze raking over the contents of the closet with a confused look. “…these are the clothes the others gave you.”

“Among other things,” Chad said, because there was also the stuffed animal Gil had _insisted_ giving Chad so he wouldn’t be alone when he retreated to his cottage at night, and the dinky plastic ring Harry had gotten from one of those toy dispensers at the diner that barely fit Chad’s pinky finger but the sailor had slid it on with such a meaningful expression that he couldn’t bear to let it go. 

“You know you’re supposed to actually _wear_ this stuff, right?” Jay pressed, quirking a brow at Chad. “That’s what it’s for. Wearing.”

“Not _this_ stuff.” Chad flushed, even though he didn’t really know how to explain it. “This is too nice.”

He literally had like, eight of the _king’s_ shirts, and while he reluctantly had a few of them in rotation because of Harry’s stubbornness, the fancy clothes Mal had given him the day of the ball were still firmly untouched, and would stay that way forever.

“So what,” Jay continued, taking a step into the closet. “Is this like, your shrine?”

“Maybe?” Chad ducked his head, trying not to feel bashful. “It’s just- these are the nicest things I have, so I want to keep them safe. So that when I leave, I can come back and know, without a shadow of a doubt, that there are people out there who care for me.” Or, at least, cared for him at one time, which seemed more and more likely, but this was all Chad had, and he had learned to make the little things count.

“…you know we’re not going anywhere, right?” Jay wandered up beside Chad, his hand sort of hovering before it inevitably curled around his waist, tugging him into his side. “I mean- _physically_ Gil and Harry and I- we’ll be going all over Auradon for a year, but like- _this_ here-” He motioned between them. “That’s for life. It’s not going to go away. Do you get that?”

“Sure,” Chad lied, even though he felt more relaxed as Jay went on. He was used to getting promises that weren’t seen through, but that didn’t stop him from appreciating the intent. “That isn’t going to stop me from taking care of my presents, though.”

“My goal was to get you to _use_ them,” Jay grumbled, letting his head tilt against Chad’s curls. “As they were intended.”

“Agree to disagree.” Chad shrugged, parroting back one of Jay’s favorite phrases.

It earned him a wicked grin. “Alright,” Jay declared, already bending low so he could loop an arm under Chad’s knees before pulling him into a bridal hold with no obvious amount of effort. “All this cleanliness deserves a reward.”

“ _Jay_ ,” Chad groaned, flushing because Jay was already marching back into the bedroom, splaying Chad across his blankets as though he was some kind of prize.

“I’ll help you clean later,” Jay promised, pushing up the hem of Chad’s shirt so he could press warm kisses against his stomach. “And then I’ll even help with the closet too.”

“ _Jay-_ ” Chad protested, was silenced by a kiss he happily melted into. He may as well make the most of this, while he had it. May as well revel in Jay’s generosity before the memory was just another thing to add to his trophy hoard. And maybe Chad didn’t deserve it, but since he _had_ it, he would keep it.

And that would be that.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad felt stupid. It was likely because he _was_ stupid and overthinking this, by a lot, but after the time with the book where Jay had touched him- well, if they had _benefits_ then Chad maybe sort of wanted to reciprocate just a bit, even if he didn’t properly know _how_ , and this was what he’d come up with. Saving his money to buy a cute little apron and some foods that Jay seemed to appreciate, and Chad wished that the explorer was more precise with his visiting hours because now Chad had to _guess_ which left him in his um- predicament for longer than anticipated.

It was a relief when he heard the tumblers of his lock start to shift, prompting him into motion to act _entirely natural_ even if this felt like the least natural thing in the world. Still, it was for Jay. And Chad liked Jay, probably more than he should.

“Hey, you’re still up?” Jay asked, trotting over towards the kitchen with his hair in a messy bun, gaze narrowing in interest when he caught sight of Chad’s bare torso underneath the blue apron. He drew to a halt on the other side of the counter, letting his bag drop to the floor. “…late night snack?”

While he still had the nerve, Chad dipped his finger into the jar of peanut butter, retrieving a respectable scoop of the sweet topping. “Yep,” he murmured, trying to go for sultry and flirtatious, like Harry did. “Would you like to join me?”

He made a show of sucking the peanut butter off his fingers, letting his eyes fall closed as he savored the flavor, hallowing his cheeks in careful movements as he pumped his fingers in and out of his mouth. He felt sort of stupid doing it, as though he were a hopeless man fumbling in the dark, but he tried to _seem_ confident, for Jay.

It seemed to work because when he opened his eyes the explorer seemed to be in a trance, staring at Chad’s fingers before scrambling around the counter. The gob smacked expression on his face when he realized Chad was _naked_ beneath the apron made the awkward waiting definitely work it.

“Fuck yes,” Jay breathed, falling to his knees before Chad. “I know the perfect snack I’d like to eat too.”

“J-Jay…” Chad had been hoping for enthusiasm, but feeling the nobleman’s hands slide up bare thighs to settle on his hips was another story entirely, especially when those long fingers trailed behind him, onto the upper curve of his rear.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Jay groaned, nuzzling the apron covered flesh between Chad’s legs. “How long have you been waiting?”

“I’d um… rather not say,” Chad murmured, flushing at the loud _groan_ that prompted from Jay. “Do you um- want to go to the bedroom?”

“ _Nope_.” Jay started rubbing circles against his skin. “I want to eat my snack right here.”

“Jay-” It was all Chad was able to get out before the explorer was pushing the apron up out of the way, ducking underneath it so he could mouth at Chad directly. “ _Oh_.” Chad shook – the apron had seemed like a good idea at the time but now he couldn’t see Jay who was just, licking and _touching_ him with calloused fingers, giving him gentle sucks that drove him steadily crazy because Jay was- he was touching him _there_ with his _mouth_ , which Chad hadn’t expected it only now here it was and it felt _so good_.

“Gonna need- that special sauce,” Jay panted against Chad’s thigh.

“ _Jay_.” Chad buried his face in his hands, overwhelmingly embarrassed by his- flirtatious _ease_.

“Don’t _‘Jay’_ me,” the explorer mumbled. “Getting all prettied up for me like I wouldn’t want a taste.”

Slowly, Jay urged Chad back to sit in a chair (naked, he was naked in his chair) and it was slightly more satisfying to be able to _see_ what Jay was doing, even if that was entirely more overwhelming than just _feeling_ it because now he could see Jay’s flushed lips sucking against him and feel- _everything_ and-

“Jay.” Chad’s hands pressed against his mouth. “What about- I need, um- your special sauce too.”

This made Jay pull away with a moan, the explorer letting his head flop onto Chad’s bare thigh. “You kill me,” he grumbled, letting his hands fumble between his legs, like he was going to take himself out, let them rut together like they had before. “I’ll give you my _special sauce_ in a minute if you’ll just-”

It was amazing how quickly they both froze at the sound of footsteps creaking against the floorboards outside, but it was mostly impressive how fast Jay managed to fling himself into Chad’s pantry before the door opened, Chad shoving himself to his feet so he could hide behind the counter.

By the time his terror had dwindled into plain old humiliation, the figure in the doorway managed to stumble towards the light of the kitchen, revealing a bedraggled looking Gil.

“Hey, you’re still up,” Gil chirped, mustering a weary smile. “I was hoping… I mean, I know it’s late, but um-” He scratched the back of his head. “…Uma and Harry are fighting and I- I didn’t want to be alone.”

Were Chad a sane human, he would turn Gil away and be done with it, but if he were sane he probably also wouldn’t be naked in his kitchen save for an apron. It would likely be one of his life’s commandments that Chad was incapable of saying no to Gil, which was what led him to him motioning the teen in with a sigh, trying desperately to ignore the drying spit on his genitals and the horny explorer that was definitely in his pantry.

“It’s okay, Gil,” he said with a steadiness that was not emulated anywhere else in his body. “Why don’t you go ahead and go to my bedroom and I’ll finish cleaning up in here?”

“What are you doing anyway?” Gil asked through a yawn, rearranging a bundle under his arm that seemed to be one of the fluffy blankets from his room at Evie’s castle. “Isn’t it late to be eating?”

“It is.” A low edge of panic began to build in Chad’s stomach when Gil seemed to be heading towards the kitchen instead of the bedroom. “My room’s over there, by the way.”

“I’ll just wait for you,” Gil said, walking around the counter with a gait that was too casual considering the calamity that would follow. Gil froze when he got to the other side of the counter, staring at Chad’s bare legs before blinking rapidly. “…where are your clothes?”

Chad was almost positive he could not blush harder. “I um- I sleep naked,” he said, before he could come up with _literally any other response_.

Gil thought about this for a second, then nodded. “Okay,” he said, and then leaned against the counter. Waiting.

If Chad did not know better, he would think the universe was punishing him for something. Maybe it was. Maybe it was punishing him for trying to be cool. He wasn’t _cool_ or flirtatious – what the hell had he been thinking?

For lack of anything else to do, Chad screwed the lid back onto the peanut butter, sliding it into the closet cabinet and conscious of the fact that his back was _very_ naked, and then he didn’t have anything else to put away and Gil was just standing there.

“Um… we can go to bed now,” Chad said, trying to send an apologetic glance towards the pantry while his face seemed determined to _burn away_ from the heat of his blush.

Gil just sort of stared at him. “…aren’t you gonna put your apron away?”

Let the ground swallow Chad _now_.

“S-sure.” He reached behind himself with clumsy fingers, conscious of the fact that he was definitely still aroused from Jay’s attention. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, couldn’t believe he couldn’t think of an alternative- maybe he should have asked Gil what Uma and Harry were fighting about, only he hadn’t and Gil was staring and Jay was in the pantry and now Chad was going to essentially stand naked in front of two people he liked very much.

He brought the neck tie over his head slowly, holding the apron in a bundle at his waist. “I um- keep it in my room,” he decided then and there. “So…”

“Right.” Gil offered him a bright smile, hooking his arm through Chad’s before _dragging_ him forward. The blond tossed his own blanket onto the bed before kicking off his shoes and crawling under the covers, giving Chad a grin so large and sweet it shouldn’t be allowed.

Chad was far more reserved following after him, conscious to keep himself covered before placing the apron on his nightstand. So many bad ideas had occurred that night, and he couldn’t help but wonder how he’d thought of them. Oh right, Jay and his _reading_. Ugh, this was horrible. 

The sheets felt weird around his naked body, but it felt stranger to have Gil on the other side of his bed, the blond humming an off-key tune under his breath. It was almost a relief when he turned off the bedside lamp and plunged them into darkness, as though that would revert some kind of normality over them.

At least, until Gil rolled over to sleep against his back, curling an arm around Chad’s waist and _definitely_ brushing against something Chad would have preferred he had never known existed.

“Oh,” Gil huffed, and Chad could imagine his confused blink. “You’re tense.”

“Sorry.” A million and one apologies did battle on Chad’s tongue to fight for the right of spilling onto Gil like a deluge, and yet he was stuck on that one word. “Sorry, I-”

“Harry gets tense sometimes,” Gil said, unconcerned. “I can help you the same way I help him.”

And then he had a hand between Chad’s legs like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“G-Gil,” Chad moaned, hips rutting into the contact. “Gil. Gil, you don’t- you don’t have to-”

“Want to,” Gil breathed, and unlike Harry and Jay where there was a whole- _thing_ to reach this point, Gil was already committed, happy to tease and stroke at Chad without asking for anything in return. “I like making you guys feel good. I’d do it for Jay, only that makes Harry mad, and then it makes him _madder_ when Uma says he would totally like it.”

“Gil.” Chad didn’t know where to put his hands, ended up settling them on Gil’s forearms in an effort to brace himself. The blond felt so good against his back, broader than Jay but just as determined, and distantly, Chad wondered what Harry would feel like, if he’d ever want share space like this.

“That’s what they were arguing about,” Gil huffed. “How Harry likes Jay and Harry likes Mal but he’ll never admit it.” He started moving his hand faster. “Uma thinks Harry’s afraid to like things.”

“Um,” Chad swallowed a whine when Gil’s palm ground hard against him. “I’m- I’m sure H-Harry’s okay with h-having friends-”

“Oh, not like friends,” Gil said easily. “Like this, I mean. Harry likes them like this.” He shifted his hand against Chad pointedly, letting his lips graze his bare shoulder. “He wants to touch them and have them touch _him_ but he’s too afraid if he comes out and says as that it’ll _ruin everything_.”

“W-well, um-” That was a lot of information to absorb. “M-Mal is um- already s-spoken for-”

“Yeah, but she likes Harry too,” Gil pressed, saying it so easily Chad would have believed it was true even if he didn’t watch the two of them interact on a regular basis. “And Ben will give Mal almost anything, so the only thing holding _that_ back is Harry. Only when Uma tries to tell him that he gets cranky and starts yelling, and then _she_ gets grouchy and neither one of them will cuddle with me and I can’t find _Jay_ or else I’d cuddle with him.” Gil sighed, hands dipping to tease the skin of Chad’s inner thighs before returning to their familiar pets. “Though I’m sort of glad for that because now I’m here with you, and I like you, and I like helping you, so-” Another grind, and Chad was almost gone, had _been_ close to finished the moment this had started. “I can help you anytime, you know,” Gil casually offered. “And if _you_ ever want cuddles, you can come to me. I’d be happy to share my bed with you.”

“ _Gil_.” He didn’t know what he was offering, what that meant to Chad, who wanted nothing less than to have someone to share his space with at the end of the day, not that he’d ever dared to hope for someone like Gil or Jay or Harry, who treated him with an interest he didn’t deserve. Maybe he was a novelty to them, Chad didn’t know. “Gil, I’m gonna- I’m about to-”

“Hold on,” Gil ordered, and then he was pulling the blanket away, pushing Chad onto his back and ducking low-

He finished Chad the same way Jay had started it, Chad falling apart into an eager mouth and moaning at the sensation of it, shuddering while Gil coaxed him through the wonderfully tantalizing aftershocks. 

Chad hoped Jay had snuck out, by now. Hoped he hadn’t resigned himself to a night in Chad’s pantry.

_Shit_ , he hoped the other teen hadn’t heard any of what Gil had said, because Chad was sure at least half of it had gotten lost in translation somewhere. They liked each other, and maybe they were attracted to each other, but it was unlikely any of those people wanted _more_.

Mal and Ben were devoted to each other. Harry was devoted to Uma and Jay was a free spirit who would likely fall for Gil. That was- that was just the way things were.

And until things got… _settled_ , they would have _benefits_ , like Chad did in this moment, crooning and gasping until Gil finally pulled off of him with a dopey grin.

“Feel good?” he asked, gaze raking over Chad’s body until he settled back beside him, sure to cuddle Chad against his chest.

“Y-yes.” Chad nodded, shivering at the feel of Gil’s muscular build against his naked flesh, knowing that this was opening a new box of problems he would have to investigate tomorrow.

Until then, though, he would enjoy the moment. That was sort of what having _benefits_ was about, anyway. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad left Gil happily sprawled across his bed, writing out a quick note for him that he tucked into the blond’s shoes that explained how he could lock up, that he’d set aside a snack for him (it wasn’t as fancy as he was used to, but thanks to the additional food the others seemed determined to give Chad he at least had plenty to share), that he hoped he had a good day. As far as Chad could tell, Jay, Gil, and Harry were tasked with planning out their year-long trip around Auradon, though with Harry out of the picture with Chad at the shop, it was mostly up to Jay and Gil to do the bulk of the work, getting occasional tips from Doug – Evie’s boyfriend – who seemed to know Auradon almost better than Ben did.

Before he left, he checked his pantry and was grateful to find it empty save for a hastily scrawled note bearing the words ‘ _Would have done the same – we’ll trade ‘sauces’ next time_ ’ followed by a winking face. Chad flushed, hiding the note under one of his floorboards before heading off to work with a light spring in his step, eager for what the future could hold. 

Obviously, he needed to not overthink things, so he wouldn’t. From now on, he would just- take what he got and be happy with it.

It was the most practical way to live. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

That day after three o’clock rolled around, Harry waited for him, watching Chad work with an almost put-upon expression while Chad wrapped up his tasks. After shooting what was becoming a coded look to Lila, Chad shut down his station, knowing that he couldn’t actually _stay_ and work overtime with a member of the Auradon court standing right next to him. Chad had already had a conversation with Mr. Marius about how he’d make up the missed hours after Harry’s sentencing was complete – at the latest when the new school year started and the three explorers would go off to see the world. While Chad didn’t look forward to potentially doing two months’ worth of extra work when Harry left him, he decided he would enjoy the company while he had it, knowing that like most good things in Chad’s life, this came with a time limit. 

“Gilly asked me to drive ye to the castle,” Harry explained with a weary sigh, hefting Chad’s backpack onto his shoulder in an easy movement before deftly stealing his bike out of his hands so he could push it towards the parking lot. “He wants a sleepover, if you’re amendable.”

“And if I’m not?” Chad asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.

Harry shot him an unreadable look. “Then I’d take ye home,” he replied simply. “Though ye want to join him, so that’s not an issue, is it?”

“…nope,” Chad agreed with a flush, letting himself lag slightly behind Harry. At times, the nobleman was a bit of a whirlwind, a constant source of energy and flash that drew the eye, and while his presence could be… intoxicating, Chad supposed, it also had a tendency to make Chad feel lesser by comparison. 

There was an uncomfortable silence when Harry loaded the bike into his trunk, Chad taking his place in the passenger seat that was slowly becoming less foreign to him. Before the ball, he’d never been in a vehicle before, because his dad had strong _feelings_ about automobile accidents and the dangers of reckless driving and, well, everything Chad needed was within biking distance anyway. Just getting on the _bus_ had been a trial for Chad, though one that had seemed worth it at the time. Now, in the privacy of Harry’s car, he couldn’t help but be in wonder at the sleek interior and the relative privacy it earned them.

“…Evie said Gilly crashed at your place yesterday,” Harry cut in abruptly, gaze studiously fixed to the road.

Chad didn’t flinch, because he supposed that much was a secret, though part of him worried about Harry’s overprotective tendencies. “He said you and Uma were fighting.”

“We weren’t _fighting_ ,” Harry grumbled, his hands tightening against the wheel. “We were… debating.”

“Debating what?”

“How _wrong_ she was,” Harry growled, the words coming in a low curl under his breath. “Look, it doesn’t matter what we were doing just- thanks for looking after Gil. That’s all.”

Chad waited, perhaps for Harry to add something like ‘ _Though I know you were looking forward to it_ ’ or something snippy like that, but for the moment he seemed content to leave it be, and Chad was as well. “It’s my pleasure,” Chad replied simply. “We’re friends, right? I mean,” he rushed to add when he saw Harry’s hands tense against the wheel. “Gil and I are friends.”

“Still,” Harry said. “Ye did us a favor, and I think… I think that deserves a reward.”

“Like um- ice cream?” Chad offered, feeling jittery because he knew what _that_ tone meant.

Harry released a low chuckle. “Something like it.”

-:-:-:-:-:-

That was how Chad ended up in Harry’s room – unable to appreciate the eclectic motley of decorations because Harry had him splayed out on the bed, trading lazy kisses that flooded Chad with warmth. They appreciated their ‘benefits’ until dinner time, when the others got home, and then Chad got to spend an evening meeting the others that lived in Evie’s castle. Aside from the explorers and Doug there was Carlos (Jay’s best friend) and a few Isle refugees – Dizzy, Celia, and Squeaky and Squirmy, twins that Chad barely heard speak who had a dedicated love of chocolate and stripes. 

It was nice to share a meal in such easy company. Chad thought he would be overwhelmed, but instead everything seemed warm. There was a bounty of food and multiple conversations trailing over each other and he had just met like, six of the people there and yet, despite that, Chad felt comfortably at home. He wished he could hold onto that evening forever, bask in the presence of others he so rarely got to indulge in. If Gil hadn’t invited him over, he would have spent the evening alone in his cottage, doing chores and maybe some sewing before Jay visited him in the dead of night. Jay, who apparently lived in Evie’s castle but was so rarely seen in it. Was rarely seen by anyone nowadays, aside from Chad.

Gil immediately claimed Chad after dinner, all but carrying him up to the explorer’s room. There, Chad managed to borrow Gil’s phone before sending Jay a coded text, hoping he would catch on and not show up at Chad’s cottage that night, or if he did, he’d at least know Chad wasn’t going to be there.

Harry crashed the post-dinner party and dragged Gil and Chad to the lounge to play ‘video games’ with Carlos. Chad had only ever seen such things in tv shows, and he’d certainly never had the chance to play them. Carlos and Harry seemed to be naturals, but fortunately Gil was about as terrible as Chad was, so they took turns coming in last, giggling over their inadequacies. Chad thought he saw Evie drift by the door to the lounge from time-to-time to take a few photos, but Chad couldn’t know for sure, too invested in enjoying the moment with his friends.

By the time they got back to Gil’s room, Chad was so full of happiness he could almost be sick with it, even though he had to remind himself that this was all temporary. Eventually, Gil, Harry, and Jay would be out exploring Auradon and Chad would be alone in his cottage once more, alone at his work, and his new friends wouldn’t have time for him since they were really only brought together by circumstance anyway. Chad tried not to think about it. It was his constant state of being, nowadays. 

Gil showered first while Chad read through one of his latest book borrows from the Auradon Castle library. This one was also a tale of wonder and love and happy endings, which was everything Chad needed it to be. It left him in good spirits when he took his own shower, _reveling_ in access to hot water and the pressure that came out with actual _force_ until he had to make himself get out from under the spray. His own water heater had broken months ago, and Chad didn’t have the funds yet saved up to replace it yet. He’d been making due with cold showers, but soon the bite of fall would be upon them, and Chad would either be reduced to sponge baths, or taking the financial hit to get it fixed. He wasn’t sure which one of those would win out, though he suspected it was the sponge bath.

When he walked back out into Gil’s room (clad in his worn boxers and undershirt) he still felt more refreshed than he normally would have otherwise, and Gil looked up at him with a giant grin.

A grin that slowly faded into confusion. “Oh… you don’t have to do that for me.”

It was Chad’s turn to be confused. “What?”

“Your-” Gil motioned to Chad’s clothes. “I already locked the door.”

That… explained nothing.

“You sleep in the nude,” Gil reminded Chad half a second before he remembered the lie. “And you can do that here too. As your host, I want you to be comfortable.”

“Oh.” Chad felt a dark flush building in his cheeks. “That’s okay, Gil-”

“I insist,” the blond said, sagely, stubbornly, and Chad knew he would not win. 

With as much composure as he could muster, Chad stripped out of his clothes, conscious of Gil’s warm gaze fixed to him. He held the bundled clothes in front of him, letting them stay on the nightstand in case something _happened_ in the middle of the night, and crawled into bed beside Gil, who used a remote to dim the lights.

“There,” Gil chirped, wrapping an arm around Chad’s shoulders and letting him curl into his chest. “I wanted to pay you back for yesterday. And also, I like sharing a bed with you.”

He said it just- so _easily_ , and it made Chad flush, feeling painfully aware of his naked body pressed against the soft pajamas that covered Gil’s muscular form. “I um… like sharing a bed with you too, Gil.”

“Great!” Gil cheered, his arm slipping to Chad’s lower back. “Then we should do it more often. At least until I have to go. And then, when I visit, we can do it again.” His hand was drifting, lower and lower until it settled on Chad’s _butt_ , firm and large and conscious cupping Chad’s bare cheek like it was a normal thing. “Hey um- can I make you feel good again?”

“ _What_?” Chad had been so thrown by the question he could barely even process it, but Gil was just- patient, looking at him through the gloom with insistent eyes.

“I wanna make you feel good again,” Gil pressed. “Because you make _me_ feel good.”

“Gil-” Chad tried to protest, but Gil was already caressing the sensitive curve of his side.

“We won’t make a mess,” Gil hummed. “I promise.”

Chad thought about his options, thought about how much he would miss Gil when he left, thought about how the other blond wanted to do this for _him_.

“Okay,” he whispered, and that alone earned him a brilliant grin before Gil was throwing back the covers, kissing down Chad’s torso until that warm mouth could settle firmly between his legs. “Gil. Oh- _Gil_ \- that’s…”

He was so careful and generous, determined to tease Chad into a state of ecstasy and then swallowing him down when it was done, until Chad could take no more and Gil was all dopey smiles, happy to cuddle Chad’s naked body under a mound of blankets. He only paused to clean himself off (having apparently lost himself around the same time as Chad) before deciding to forego clothes altogether and cradle Chad against him, and had Chad not just been so thoroughly rocked, that might have worked him up again.

As it was, he settled into the casual intimacy with a greed that could be unrivaled, deciding to bypass his embarrassment and just be grateful instead. Because even though this was weird it was distinctly his and _Gil’s_ , and that counted. Perhaps only for the moment, but it _counted_.

And that was what mattered.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“I got ye something.”

Harry’s words were quiet when they echoed through the backroom of the shop, Lila having ducked out after lunch for a doctor’s appointment, leaving Chad and Harry to practice flirting between Chad’s different projects. Harry had gotten quiet around his leaving time, hovering just at the edge of Chad’s vision before finally he dug through his bag and pulled out a lopsided package. 

“You did?” Chad asked, despite seeing the proof right before him. He accepted the package with gentle fingers, as though afraid it would vanish altogether if he did not give it the attention it was due. “…why?” 

Harry shrugged. “We’re going to be leaving soon.” It was a fact Chad was all too terribly familiar with, the days of his mental calendar ticking away until the explorers’ seeing off party (which he’d been invited to) to their actual embarkation (which he’d _also_ been invited to), and as much as Chad wanted to revel in that consideration, a greater part of him dreaded the passing time, knowing that soon that the time for casual lunches and lazy makeouts, the time for Jay cuddling in his bed at night or Gil abducting him to the castle for _attention_ – that was going to be gone soon, and with it, Chad’s hope.

“So I made you this,” Harry continued, not quite looking at Chad. He gestured at Chad to open the package. “To remember me by.”

Harry _made_ him something, and that fact alone made Chad happier than he could possibly admit. It didn’t matter what is _was_ , or how well it was constructed – it had been made by Harry’s hands with the pure intention of giving it to _Chad_. That alone earned it a spot in Chad’s closet of treasures.

And then he saw what it _was_. 

Harry had made him a jacket. Handstitched, by the look of it, made from a beautiful light blue pleather that seemed perfectly tailored to fit _Chad_. It was lovely in almost every way, with a lining that shimmered against the light and a multitude of pockets, and there, on the front breast, was an embroidered silver hook. _Harry’s_ hook, for all his sailing expeditions.

“…Harry,” Chad whispered, daring to touch it just _barely_ , because it was so beautiful and grand. “Harry, it’s _wonderful_.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Harry snorted with a roll of his eyes, but he couldn’t hide the light flush spreading across his cheeks, as though he was flustered from the small compliment. “I’m not much of a sewer, but I figured with all the time I spent here, maybe I should put that knowledge to use. Princess helped me, of course – that’s why it’s not a mess, but… it’ll be getting cold soon and ye should have a coat that actually _fits_ ye. It’s only a bonus that it’s stylish as well.”

“It’s more than that,” Chad pressed. “It’s- it’s _art_ , Harry. I love it. Thank you. _Thank you_.”

The embarrassed flush darkened. “Don’t go getting all sappy on me _now_ ,” Harry muttered. “Just- put it on. We’re joining the others for dinner.”

“What? _Now_?” Chad said, still clutching the jacket against his chest. The fabric was buttery smooth, and he had a distant panicked thought about how much it could have cost Harry.

“Yes, _now_ ,” Harry said, beginning to pack up Chad’s bag _for him_ , and he didn’t even do it wrong because he’d witnessed the blond do it so many times as is. “They all decided to take an early day to match us, so we’re going to have dinner at Auradon Castle.”

“They didn’t have to do that.” Chad was still overwhelmed by the coat that Harry herded him into, fingering the soft material and flushing at his reflection in the mirror, because it fit so well and looked so _good_ and Harry had done that. For _him_. 

“Yeah, well they did,” Harry drawled. “And I’m hungry, so let’s go.”

He said nothing more about the jacket, though he made a conscious effort to hold Chad’s hand the entire way to the car, which seemed to be his own way of addressing things. They might not really be friends, but Harry _had_ been kind to Chad, and was still trying to throw out little generosities before his presence was completely gone from Central Auradon. 

While it wouldn’t entirely lessen the blow of his loss, at least Chad knew it was coming this time, and he appreciated the consideration.

That was how he knew he would never be wearing this coat again. Because as long as he had it, he knew he was care for, in some way. And no matter _what_ happened, he wasn’t letting go.

That was all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay folks, we're almost at the end! Next week will be the final chapter plus chapter 10, which will have the deleted scenes that didn't make it into this story. I will also be posting the first chapter of the sequel to this story, so I'm going to go ahead and confirm the next update for Thursday, likely sometime in the afternoon. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone for your support and enthusiasm!!! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated, so thanks to everyone who commented, kudo-ed, bookmarked, and subscribed. Thanks for sticking with me through this journey, I hope you enjoyed the ride ;D
> 
> Story notes: 
> 
> Yes. Yessss. Sexy times with everyone. 
> 
> I realize that Jay and Gil both end up greeting Chad the same way, which I have decided was adorable instead of lazy, so I kept it ^_^
> 
> Until next time :)


	9. In Sickness and in Health

Chad was managing the balancing act that had become his life to the best of his ability. He had Harry with him during the day, during lunch, driving him home – flirting and pressing kisses against his knee and being unfairly charming. He had Jay sharing his bed at night, completing chores and reading stories – at least, on the days Gil didn’t claim Chad, arranging for him to sleepover at the castle so he could join in the hustle of loving chaos there. Sometimes Mal and Ben would join the hoard of them for dinner, and it was so very nice that it left Chad breathless sometimes. Those nights always ended with him in Gil’s bed, the two of them likely naked, trading small talk about the day and lazy kisses and it was all so very good but also all so very _weird_.

There was a growing tension in the air, Chad realized, as summer began drawing to a close, and it was a tension that seemed to follow Chad and Harry to lunch. 

Mal had chosen to join them that day, though instead of her usual commanding presence she seemed to be poking at her food with an open reluctance, mind obviously elsewhere.

Chad shared a look with Harry before biting the bullet, setting his fork aside. “What’s wrong, Mal?”

“What?” She blinked out of her stupor, as though just realizing they were at lunch. “Nothing.”

“ _Bullshit_ ,” Harry drawled, rolling his eyes. “You’ve been off for weeks. Even Gil’s noticed.”

“Then you’ve noticed nothing,” Mal sniffed, stabbing at her food. “As I am fine.”

“Evie’s worried,” Harry warned with a twirl of his fork. “Ben too.”

“Then they’ll be happy to know that I’m _fine_ ,” Mal snapped, breath coming in a sharp exhale.

“…it’s okay _not_ to be fine,” Chad offered timidly, trying to cut in before Harry could provoke her again. “Are you um… worried about something?”

“More like worried about _someone_ ,” Harry drawled, slouching back in his seat. His arm draped across the back of the booth, leaving his hand to sort of curl near Chad’s shoulder. “You and Jay still fighting?”

“ _No_.” Mal refused to look at them, though her shoulders held a distinct tension.

Belatedly, Chad realized that Harry was tense too, that he was likely more invested in this conversation than his casual appearance would lead anyone to believe. “…because he hasn’t been around to fight?”

Mal gave up on the appearance of eating altogether, setting her fork down with a huff. “Sorry,” she said, aiming the apology at Chad. “You don’t deserve to deal with my bullshit over people you don’t even know.”

“Um…” It wasn’t exactly a _secret_ , but Chad hadn’t gone out of his way to tell Harry or any of the others about meeting Jay, mostly because it had never come up organically and Harry had already pressed the fact that they weren’t really friends. “I’ve actually met Jay.”

The other two froze, the hand hovering near Chad’s shoulder curling into a fist.

“…he visited the cottage,” Chad explained. “Wanted to get to know who I am from your stories, I guess.” He stared at his food, wondering if he should leave it there before remembering how Jay couldn’t even get a full night of sleep, how Jay wanted to do right by Mal so badly that he’d resorted to some very farfetched logic. 

Remembered that despite Jay’s attempts to act cool and aloof, he was actually sort of a sweetheart, and made a choice.

“He won’t say it, but he really hates that you’re mad at him,” Chad said quietly, locking his gaze with Mal’s.

The queen-to-be stared at him hard for a moment as though weighing her options. “And you got that from one visit?” she asked without inflection.

Chad tensed. “…he was running on very little sleep,” he settled on. “…which led to him saying more than he likely would have otherwise.”

Harry angled his head so that he could breathe into Chad’s ear, a casual sort of intimacy that never failed to make Chad shiver and the nobleman _knew_ that. “And what did he say?” Harry pressed, lips just barely brushing against Chad’s ear. “That led to such wonderful conclusions?”

“You could ask him yourself,” Chad aimed this at Mal, because if he turned to Harry the other teen would lean in and Chad couldn’t handle that right now. “You two need to talk to each other.”

“Ye don’t even know what the problem is,” Harry pressed.

Chad frowned, tired of this runaround. “Jay’s leaving – Mal’s upset because she’s going to miss him but instead of _saying_ that much they just fight until Jay gets so twisted up with guilt that he can’t even sleep at night, and Mal just-” He motioned to her. “ _Talk_ to each other. Jay feels horrible, you don’t look much better – this whole thing could be solved with a conversation.”

“Jay doesn’t care about my opinion,” Mal snapped. “If he did, he wouldn’t be leaving.”

“He has a right to explore the world, Mal,” Chad said with an authority he did not feel. “You’re not upset over Harry and Gil leaving, why Jay?”

“Because they’ve been together longer,” Harry huffed, resting his lips against the curve of Chad’s neck. “This will be their first major time apart.”

That meant – was Jay from the Isle too? That made many things make sense – the illusions to thievery, his concern for coming across like an animal, and Chad felt for Jay all over again. He thought he was only good for sex, what the _hell_. 

“Talk to him, Mal,” Chad pled, trying his best to win her over to his side. “He’s probably going to miss you too-”

“You don’t _know_ him.” Mal pressed her hand flat against the table until her knuckles showed white on her already pale skin. “Talking to the guy once doesn’t make you an expert. Jay doesn’t do _nostalgia_ or whatever; he’s only avoiding me now because he knows I’m mad at him and he can’t man up and apologize for skipping out on helping me plan my _dumb wedding_.” 

For once, Chad was grateful that Mal had cast her not-entirely-legal noise-muffling spell on their booth, because otherwise that statement would have rung through the diner with a ferocity that left the other patrons as speechless as Chad and Harry. 

Mal stared at them with wide eyes, hand pressed against her mouth in a clear expression of shock. 

“…Mal,” Chad spoke up carefully, worried about the rising tension that thrummed through Harry’s body. “…are you- are you not happy with Ben?”

“Of _course_ I’m happy with Ben,” Mal gushed, blinking frantically in a manner that did little to lessen the moisture in her eyes. “This is just- hard. It’s _hard_. Ben’s the only easy thing about it – you guys, the others, getting to _finally_ help the VKs, that stuff’s easy, but the rest of it- It’s so _hard_ and intellectually I know Jay can’t help with that much. Or like, _at all_ , because he’s terrible at planning parties. I just… I wanted him to be there, and now he’s not going to be.”

Chad reached forward until he could cover her hand with his, conscious of the callouses that marred his fingertips. “You need to tell him that, Mal. Jay has a right as your friend to know that.”

“Right,” Harry muttered. “Her _friend_.”

Mal’s expression closed off. “Watch it, Hook.”

“I don’t know why ye do this to yourself,” Harry continued, resting his chin on Chad’s shoulder. “Ye like him, he likes you – Ben likes whatever ye like. Sounds like ye don’t have much of a problem after all - do ye, princess?”

“And it’s _that_ simple,” Mal began coolly. “Sort of like how you love Uma-”

“I do _not_ ,” Harry snapped.

“-and you love Gil,” Mal continued as though she didn’t hear him. “And they both love _you_ , but evil forbid-”

“ _Shut it_ ,” Harry hissed, arm hooking around Chad’s neck and dragging him close to his side.

“-that you actually _do_ something about it.” Mal tossed her hair with a look of defiance, refusing to yield to someone like Harry. “Face it, Hook – you’re a coward.” She turned her attention to Chad. “I bet he hasn’t even said you’re friends yet.”

Harry tensed, but Chad couldn’t deny her, not when he felt so distinctly uneasy. “…no, he hasn’t,” Chad said quietly.

And he wasn’t going to, because they _weren’t_ friends.

Mal let out a triumphant sound. “ _See_.” She leveled a finger at Harry. “You’re so _determined_ to operate by the old rules that the very idea of emotional intimacy-”

“I’m not hearing this from you,” Harry shot back. “Mrs. I-won’t-even-talk-to-Jay-cuz-he-couldn’t-possibly- _care_ ; it’s rubbish.”

“ _You’re_ rubbish.” Mal rose to her feet with a scowl, both hands pressed against the table as she glared at Harry. “I don’t know why I thought you could ever possibly come around from being a scared little kid-”

“And _I_ don’t know why I ever thought ye were anything but a spoiled _brat_ ,” Harry snarled back, standing to match her. “Throwing hissy fits anytime she doesn’t get her way.”

“Guys-” Chad tried to break in, though both ignored him.

“ _Fuck you_ ,” Mal hissed, her voice dropping to a dangerous growl. “Congratulations, your community service has been officially completed. You no longer get to use Kit as an excuse to ignore your problems. If you go to that damn shop again, I’ll throw you in the brig so fast it will make your head spin.”

“Uma won’t let you do that,” Harry hissed.

“Uma would _help me_ ,” Mal spat with a wave of her hand. “Since you’ve been avoiding her too.” 

“Fine!” Harry growled, storming away from their unfinished meal without once looking over his shoulder, the other patrons of the diner staring at his retreating form with various expressions of shock and fear.

“That little shit,” Mal began muttering under her breath, digging through her purse. “I’m gonna have to make so many calls just to make sure he- _fuck_.” She pulled out a handful of bills and pressed them in Chad’s hand. “I have to go. Sorry, Kit. I have to- sorry.”

She left without looking at him, leaving Chad to fidget under the weight of the bystanders’ stares – the odd man out that clearly didn’t deserve to be there. Thankfully, their waitress took pity on him and handled the check quickly. 

It wasn’t until he got out of the diner that he remembered that Harry had driven him there and Chad resigned himself to walking back to the alterations shop, trying to think of a way to gently break the news to Mr. Marius and Lila. He was pretty sure neither one of them would care. He was pretty sure _he_ was the only one that cared. 

Ironically, that seemed to be the consistent story of his life.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The day went downhill from there. Halfway to the shop it started raining, and Chad had to run through across the water-slicked pavement only to get back to the shop completely soaked with a severely sprained ankle from all the almost-wipeouts he’d suffered. He’d had to dry off as best he could in the employee bathroom in order to be able to work with clothes again, and by the time he’d finished with _that_ he was laughably behind in his duties. 

The absence of Harry plus Chad’s latent distress and fumbling fingers had him rediscovering his clumsiness – spilling thread bobbins that had to be rewrapped, upending a container of buttons he had to scramble across the floor to collect. Lila’s vicious grin during each of these increasingly stupid incidents didn’t help any – nor did the rush order for a tailored dress they received just before closing. Of course, this was after Lila had left and it was due the next day, so it was Chad who stayed extra hours to finish the garment, who still had to clean up afterwards, so it was pushing ten o’clock by the time he _finally_ got to leave the store. 

It was still raining when he pushed his bike out of the shop, though Chad focused less on that than the car parked directly outside, someone leaning against it underneath the broad protection of an umbrella.

Lightning flashed in the distance, and Chad realized it was Gil waiting for him, and all at once the frustration and sorrow that he’d been trying to ignore came tumbling out of him in a graceless surrender. 

Chad dropped his bike, crossing to Gil in limping, frantic steps before throwing his arms around the broad teen.

“Kit,” Gil murmured against his hair, and Chad could do nothing but sob against the other teen’s chest. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not,” Chad croaked. “It’s not and it’s my fault.”

“Not it isn’t.” Gil held him closer with one strong arm hooked low around Chad’s waist. “It’s not. Uma sent me here to let you know that.” 

Chad didn’t know how to reply to that so he settled for pathetic sniffles as he tried to get himself under control, grateful that he hadn’t lost all of his friends.

“...come on,” Gil said quietly. “I’m gonna take you home, okay? And then you can cry there.”

Chad flinched. “Gil-”

“I’m staying the night,” Gil continued. “Captain’s orders.” 

It settled the tension in Chad’s shoulders that he hadn’t known was there. “…thank you.”

“No thanks necessary,” Gil assured him as he ushered Chad into the front seat, mindful to keep the umbrella over them. “I’ll just grab your bike and then we’re gonna go, okay?”

Chad nodded mutely, feeling entirely worn. He barely noticed Gil loading the bike into the trunk of the car, only came back to himself when the car jolted into action, the heaters kicking in to provide much needed warmth. 

“…you took a while,” Gil said quietly as they started down the road. “Harry said you get off at three, but it’s way past that.”

Chad hunched in on himself. “…it took me awhile to get back to the shop. I had to stay late to make up for it.”

“…okay,” Gil said eventually, generous enough to let the matter drop then and there. 

Chad was relieved until they made it to the base of the cottage path, shivering when he noticed a familiar red vehicle already parked in the clearing.

“Hey.” Gil perked up. “…is that Jay’s car?”

“…probably,” Chad muttered, rubbing at his forearms. Even with the heater, he felt cold. “He um- stays the night sometimes. He likes the rustic quality of the cottage.”

“Oh.” Gil blinked, shifting the car into park. “That makes sense.”

They said nothing during the walk back up to the cottage, though each step took more and more effort. Even with Gil pushing his bike Chad felt exhausted, too weak to properly keep himself upright, though he managed to do so through sheer force of will. By the time they were actually _in_ the cottage he was shivering no matter how hard he tried not to, fumbling to close the umbrella with uncooperative hands.

“Hey,” Gil said, gently taking the umbrella from him. “…are you okay?”

“I um- don’t think so,” Chad murmured, skin beginning to feel clammy and hot.

Before Gil could reply, Jay strolled out of the bedroom, a frown fixed on his features. “Where the hell have you- _Gil_?”

“Yep.” Gil offered him a distracted wave, his focus on Chad. “I drove Kit home because he had a bad day.”

“That seems like an understatement,” Jay said, moving into Chad’s space to press a hand against his forehead. “You’re burning up.”

“I had to walk in the rain,” Chad said roughly, his throat feeling the beginnings of a tickle. “D-didn’t have any towels at the shop, so-”

“You aired dry,” Jay concluded, staring into Chad’s eyes before looping one of his arms around his shoulders. “Come on, Gil, we need to get him into a warm bath.”

“Um-” Chad flushed. “My um- water heater doesn’t work.”

Gil stared at him with a look of incomprehension while Jay cursed lowly under his breath.

“New plan,” Jay declared, passing Chad over to Gil. “Get him back down to the car – I’ll pack him a bag and we’ll take him to the castle.”

“I can’t commute from the castle,” Chad pressed, feeling panicked at the idea of potentially facing Mal again so soon. “I’ve got work tomorrow.”

“But you worked so much today,” Gil said, his brows furrowed together. “Shouldn’t some of that count for tomorrow?”

“Wait, has he been at the shop this whole time?” An easy sort of anger settled into Jay’s features.

“Yeah,” Gil said before Chad could get a word in edgewise. “He said he was late coming back from lunch-”

“By _seven hours?_ ” Jay hissed, then realized his anger was aimed at the wrong person and offered Gil a comforting pat on the shoulder. “Just- don’t worry about work, Kit. Gil-”

“I’ll get him to the car,” Gil pledged gravely, bodily lifting Chad into his arms. He shouldered the door wide and reopened the umbrella, striding out into the wet darkness while Chad’s strength began to fail him.

Chad lost track of time after that, curled against the soft leather seat, registering brief flashes of scenery until the car finally pulled to a stop. He squinted against the harsh lights of the private garage, happy to turn into Gil’s body as the blond easily scooped him up, carrying him to who knew where with little effort. Belatedly, Chad registered Jay’s presence beside them, and it was all sort of overwhelming until he was placed onto one of the most comfortable beds he’d ever felt in his life.

“Rest here,” Jay whispered, wrapping a thick blanket around Chad’s trembling frame. “We’re gonna get a bath started up, okay?”

“Okay,” Chad croaked, huddling into his pillow. It was soft and ridiculously cushioned, like the pillows Jay had snuck into his bedroom as presents that Chad loved almost more than anything else.

When he jolted awake sometime later it was with nothing but regrets, his body feeling so much colder and heavier than before, refusing to respond to his commands. A pitiful whine spilled from his throat when Jay unearthed him from his lovely blanket cocoon, Chad clutching onto him in a desperate bid for warmth as he was carried somewhere. 

He half-heartedly turned away from their hands when they started to strip him down, knowing he should object but not really knowing _why_ because he liked both of them a lot. Oh wait. He wasn’t buff like them. He was skinny and sleek and granted, he got to eat more nowadays because of Harry except not anymore because Harry was gone and it was all Chad’s fault. 

He pressed his face into Jay’s shoulder, sniffling in a desperate bid to stave off tears and likely failing because that was all Chad ever did.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jay soothed, petting Chad’s hair because he was a dumb idiot who couldn’t even take off his own clothes. “It’s okay, everything’s going to be okay.”

“No, it’s not,” Chad gasped, sort of slumping while Gil pulled off his underwear, and he should maybe care about that but it was nothing Jay hadn’t seen and Gil loved Harry and Uma anyway. “Mal hates me and Harry hates me and I’m _stupid_.”

“No, you’re not,” Gil said, and he was so genuine too, because that’s who Gil was. “You’re really smart and really nice.”

“ _No I’m not_ ,” Chad moaned as they lowered him into the water, and then he moaned some more because it was so hot it felt like it was going to burn off his skin, even though Jay assured him otherwise. “I’m dumb and stupid and clumsy and I thought I was friends with _Mal_ \- of _course_ I wasn’t friends with Mal, what was I thinking?”

“You _are_ friends with Mal.” Jay crouched near Chad’s head, pressing a damp towel against his forehead and leaning against the edge of the tub. “I don’t know what happened-”

“I tried to help,” Chad sniffed. “I wanted to help but they just started yelling at each other.”

Because they loved people so much that they would growl and cry over them, and while Chad understood he’d never have anyone do that over _him_ it just felt extra horrible that he had an hour long walk in the rain to drive that point home. 

“You need to check your phone,” Gil whispered from the other side of the tub, combing his fingers gently through Chad’s hair. “There’s a bunch of stuff about it online.”

Of _course_ there was – why wouldn’t that humiliating failure of a conversation be broadcasted to the entire world? 

“Just pictures, though,” Gil continued. “No one heard them.”

“Small blessings,” Jay muttered.

“…I heard them,” Chad murmured. “I tried to stop them, but I couldn’t.”

“There’s no stopping those two when they get angry, Kit,” Jay sighed. “Sometimes they’ve just got to fight it out. It will all be okay, I promise. Ben and Uma and Evie will negotiate a ceasefire and then they’ll have to talk to each other like adults.”

But would they talk to Chad again? Would they _want_ to?

They settled into silence after that, Chad sort of just drifting until the blistering heat became something more manageable, until his shivers had died down to the occasional tremor. Eventually, Jay pulled him from the tub, the two of them drying Chad off with careful movements he barely registered before bundling him in some of Jay’s soft sleeping clothes – a red sweater and black sweatpants, fluffy socks that must have been a gag gift that Chad loved a lot because they made him feel toasty. 

He was settled back into bed shortly thereafter, though Jay made him sit up long enough to drink something and take some medicine before Chad was _finally_ allowed to lie down, curling into the comfort of the magic mattress and the fluffy blankets and the super pillows.

Jay may have tried to say something else to him after that but Chad didn’t register it, only sensed a warm body sliding in behind him, holding him close just like Jay had that first day, and _finally_ Chad felt close enough to peaceful to give into inevitable exhaustion. 

He did so with as much grace as he could muster, which was to say, not very much. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad would like to think he felt marginally more human when he next awoke, but he still mostly just felt terrible. He was sweaty and gross in a place he shouldn’t be sweaty and gross in, but on the bright side he got to suffer in this really nice bed. Jay was also sleeping next to him, curled on his side facing Chad, and there was a thick arm settled across Chad’s waist that he was pretty sure belonged to Gil.

As much as Chad’s body revolted at the very prospect of moving, Chad realized his fate was inevitable, and if he wanted to have a shot at getting to work on time, he needed to get going.

“Jay,” Chad whispered, his voice breaking under a dull throbbing pain. “ _Jay_.” With a herculean effort, Chad unearthed his arm from the covers and used it to swat in Jay’s general direction. “Jay, wake up.”

“Hm?” Jay blinked awake with a flutter of his lashes; brows furrowed as though objecting to his state of gradual consciousness. “…Kit?”

“Jay,” Chad repeated. “I need to go to work.”

There was a distinct pause where Jay just sort of stared at him, and Chad used that moment to try and gather his energy. The prospect of raising his head was an unappealing one, let alone the prospect of _sitting_ up, and over the accumulation of other pains his ankle was still radiating a dull throb.

“…go back to sleep, Kit,” Jay settled on eventually, closing his eyes again.

That would not do.

“ _Jay_ ,” Chad croaked, trying to poke at his arm. “I _have_ to go to work.”

“No, you don’t,” Jay mumbled. “I called in sick for you. Well, _Jane_ called in sick for you.”

“I can’t do that.” The mere effort of this conversation was wearing Chad out, but he didn’t have time to dawdle. “I don’t get sick days.”

Jay’s brows furrowed again. “…everyone gets sick days.”

“I don’t,” Chad tried to huff, but it morphed into a sort of hacking cough. “At least, not ones I get paid for.”

Before Chad could explain that he couldn’t afford _not_ to get paid, Jay cut back in. “… that is illegal.”

“I don’t have a contract,” Chad muttered, wishing he could close his eyes and be done with it except he really couldn’t so here he was.

“That doesn’t make it less illegal.”

“Jay.” That was it, it was time for Chad to take matters into his own hands. With a forceful groan, he pushed himself up onto shaky forearms, beginning the exhausting effort of sitting up. “I can’t miss work. If I miss work then I’ll be the loser who lost his job _and_ his friends, and I can’t handle one of those things, let alone both of them.”

“…what’s going on?” Gil mumbled, emerging to consciousness by bare threads.

“Hey, you didn’t lose any friends,” Jay said, sitting up to follow Chad. “And you’re _not_ going to lose your job. I’m pretty sure your job’s taking advantage of you as it is, but even if you _did_ lose your job, we would get you a better one that gave you sick days and reasonable working hours that didn’t exploit your talents.”

“I don’t _want_ a new job,” Chad snapped, feeling a stupid heat build behind his eyes. “I need _that_ one. That’s the one I’m good at.”

“Kit, you’re great at it,” Jay said, and it was sort of a relief that he agreed with Chad. “No one would argue with that, but you could sew for anyone. Evie would hire you. Ben would hire you-”

“No they wouldn’t.” Because Chad was stupid and clumsy and had to get to the store early just so he wouldn’t fall behind and had to stay late because he was only kept on out of pity anyway. “Jay, I have to _go_.”

“Gil-” Jay was wrapping an arm around Chad’s shoulder, holding him in place instead of letting him _leave_. “-go get Mal and then see if you can find Mrs. Potts.”

“Will they help me leave?” Chad asked, slumping into Jay’s hold because he wasn’t strong enough to support himself. He barely registered Gil scrambling from the room, everything was hot and heavy and he was so _weak_. “Jay, I can’t get fired. Mr. Marius won’t fire me if I’m useful but I can’t be useful if I’m not _there_.”

“You worked overtime yesterday - remember that, Kit?” Jay soothed, his lips shifting against Chad’s damp curls. “Legally you’re not supposed to work more than eight hours a day, and you almost did twice that yesterday. That means you’re good.”

“No I’m not.” Chad buried his face in Jay’s chest, wondering how long it would be before the explorer left and never came back too, wondered if he’d go to the same place Chad’s father had disappeared to. “I’m bad. I’m dumb and clumsy and stupid and I have to do better but I _can’t_ because I’m _stupid_.”

He was crying now, gross, snotty tears that made his head hurt and his voice raspy and Chad wanted nothing more than to pass out again but he had to get moving – why didn’t Jay understand that?

“You’re none of those things,” Jay whispered hotly into his hair. “Who said you were stupid?”

“ _Lila_.” The workers at the second hand store, the people who thought he couldn’t hear them gossip about him. “She says I’m stupid for following my dad’s rules, but he’s my _dad_ and he loves me and I love him and I try to do good even though I break the rules all the time and-” Chad cut off with a sharp gasp. “I have to go to work, Jay. _Please_ , let me go to work.”

Chad didn’t have any of his stuff, didn’t know the bus schedule back to Conques and even if he did he didn’t have his bus pass and he was pretty sure Jay wouldn’t drive him back to the shop because he was so determined for Chad to stay in bed and Chad couldn’t drive himself because he was _useless_.

Distantly, Chad registered a door being thrown open – that was a sound he was familiar with now, because he had friends to open doors _to_ him instead of away _from him_ and he wondered how long that would last and he figured it probably wasn’t very.

“What happened?” Mal slid onto the bed with petite grace, looking adorable in a large sleeping robe that was probably Ben’s, and also Ben was there setting in next to her because why not. “Why didn’t you tell me he was here? And sick? And how the hell do you know him?”

“One thing at a time,” Jay snapped, holding Chad closer. “Please tell Kit that you’re still friends.”

“What?” Mal blinked, then turned her attention to Chad, who was trying really hard to hide against Jay’s chest because the future-queen shouldn’t have to deal with his dumbness. “Kit, of course we’re still friends-”

“ _No_ ,” Chad croaked, wishing the hot tears would stop burning down his face. “D-don’t. I don’t need your pity.”

“It’s not pity, asshole,” Jay sighed. “Mal had a fight with _Harry_ , not you. She’s not mad at you.”

“No!” This came from Mal who cuddled against Chad’s other side with her usual stubbornness. “No, Kit. Sweetheart, what happened wasn’t your fault.”

“Y-Yes it is.” Chad was sure of that much. “You both l-left.”

“And then he had to walk back to the shop _in the rain_ ,” Jay growled, squeezing Chad’s arm gently. “Which can seem a lot like _abandonment_ , you know?”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Mal hissed under her breath. “Kit, you didn’t do anything wrong. Harry and I acted like major tools and you got caught in the crossfire. I’m sorry – neither of us were thinking, which can be expected from _Harry-_ ”

“Mal,” Ben sighed, reminding Chad he was there and that he should hide from him even though Jay really wasn’t letting him do that.

“-but I should have done better. And I’m _going_ to do better,” Mal finished. “Starting with letting you know we are friends for as long as you want it because you are sweet and funny and capable of turning even the most ferocious warriors into mush.”

Chad sniffed pitifully, trying to process that with his muddled brain. “…like Jay?”

Jay’s arm tensed ever so slightly when Mal just stared at him, but eventually she nodded. “…not quite the example I was going for, but yes.”

“Okay.” Chad swallowed, trying to clear his scratchy throat and only partially succeeding. “Okay, that’s good.”

“Great,” Jay sighed. “Now, could you two please _guarantee_ that Kit won’t lose his job for taking a sick day?”

“I don’t _get_ sick days-” Chad tried to protest.

“We’ll cover that later,” Jay said, though his gaze was on Mal for some reason. “So?”

It was King Ben who spoke up. “Kit, I will personally see to it that you won’t get fired for recuperating from your illness.”

“…could you tell him I’ll work overtime?” Chad asked, knowing he probably shouldn’t because Ben was _king_ but also knowing he should because Chad was a good worker, _he_ _was_. “Until I make up for it?”

Ben opened his mouth, brows furrowed in a look of confusion, but he seemed to settle when Jay shot him a look. “…yeah, I’ll do that.”

“Oh.” With that established, Chad felt the entirety of his fight leave him, making him more or less collapse against Jay. “…may I sleep then?”

“Yeah, Kit,” Mal said, cupping his cheek gently. “Your only job right now is to get better, okay?”

“Okay,” Chad muttered, losing his fight with consciousness with open arms. He didn’t want to fail Mal again, but luckily, this was something he could do.

That comforting thought carried him to sleep. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

Even with the comforting arms of unconsciousness, Chad still felt exhausted the next time he opened his eyes, even if the vice in his chest had lessened to a more manageable tension. There was no one crowding against his back this time, though he was safely bundled in the fluffy blanket Jay had snuck into the cottage weeks ago. Chad would have pondered how that came to be but then realized that he wasn’t actually alone. He had company sitting next to him on the bed, their back pressed against the headboard while they stared down at their phone.

It was someone Chad hadn’t met before, but based on description alone, he couldn’t possibly confuse who it was.

“So,” the teen said, locking her phone with a swipe of her thumb. “You’re awake.”

“…are you Uma?” Chad croaked, wondering if this was some sort of fever-induced hallucination. If it was, he approved of the selected color pallet. It seemed very appropriate.

“Yep,” Uma drawled, eyes slanting towards him with lazy interest. “How’d you guess?”

“Harry says you’re one of the most beautiful people in the world,” Chad answered. “And Gil says you look like the ocean.” 

The teen sitting next to him was a solid accumulation of both, while somehow emanating a certain strength that Chad could only long for.

The tiniest smile cracked across her face. “Yeah, that sounds like those two idiots.”

It startled a laugh from Chad’s aching chest that immediately left him coughing, though he tried to muffle it into his lovely, fuzzy blanket whose manifestation he still didn’t understand.

“They made a supply run to your cottage,” Uma explained as though sensing the unvoiced question. “Jay was pretty insistent about that blanket.” There was a pause. “…he seemed to know his way around pretty well.”

“He likes to stay there,” Chad mumbled, burrowing into the fuzzy goodness. Yes, this was a good call on Jay’s part. Points to that guy.

“Yeah,” Uma scoffed. “Princess wasn’t super happy to hear about _that_ friendship.”

Chad felt himself huddle under the blanket as though it could act as a shield. “I might have left her under the impression that we’d only met once.”

Uma shot him a look. “She wasn’t mad at _you_.”

“Why would she be mad at Jay?” Chad rasped. “Besides the leaving thing?”

“Maybe she was mad someone else was touching her toy,” Uma mused. “Or maybe she was mad that someone else was touching _Jay_.”

Chad flushed, but he was pretty sure he could play it off as a fever. “…Jay’s my friend.”

He had said so.

“And that’s it?”

“If there’s anything else, it’s our business,” Chad parroted dutifully. “That’s what Harry said.”

“It was now, was it?” Uma asked with a quirk of her brow. “And Harry knows all about you and Jay’s relationship?”

“No.” Chad scrunched his nose. “Not like that. I mean- Jay and I, we’re ‘friends with benefits’, and Harry, we-” Chad sighed, sinking into his covers. “We’re just _‘with benefits’_.”

“…you’re not friends?” Uma asked, though Uma was Harry’s _everything_ so she probably already knew that.

“…no,” Chad said it a little more quietly, because he was sick, not because he was ashamed. “I don’t think Harry likes me that much.”

Uma just sort of stared at him. “You know, I used to not like you.”

Chad frowned. “You just met me.”

“Conceptually,” Uma elaborated. “I agreed that Harry owed you a debt and that debt needed to be paid, but he was the one in control of how long that punishment lasted.” She made a show of looking at her nails. “Here we are months later, and he’s still at your side.”

“…Mal thinks I was an excuse for him not to look at his problems,” Chad mumbled. “There was an added benefit that I would also make out with him.”

“Yeah,” Uma chuckled. “That probably didn’t hurt.” She fell into a thoughtful sort of silence. “I didn’t like you because I thought you were a distraction. Just another pretty face for him to chase after until he could feel in control again. And then he made you that coat.”

Chad smiled. “I like that coat.”

He loved how it was the perfect shade of blue to match his eyes, he loved the pretty silver pattern in the lining. He loved the cut and the hidden pockets and he loved how warm it was and how it made him feel like an adventurer, like someone who was brave. Like Harry.

“You do?” Uma drawled. “Because he gave you that coat with the hand-embroidered hook, and then you wore it _once_.”

Chad fumbled for an explanation, because there were too many things to clarify and not enough words to describe them, when Uma continued.

“I hated you for that,” she explained. “At least until Jay explained the little trophy hoard of presents you had stashed in your closet that you clean once a night, fretting and dusting them just to make sure they stayed in perfect condition.”

Chad swallowed. “…I didn’t want to ruin them.”

Uma released a low hum. “Harry feels that way about people.”

Chad… didn’t know what to do with that.

“He doesn’t want to tarnish them,” Uma elaborated. “So he tries to keep to himself. Is loyal but not _devoted_.” She reached over, carding a hand through Chad’s curls, not seeming to care about the oil and dried sweat. “He thinks that because he can love more than one person that his love is worthless, like it’s lessened, and the idea of actually _achieving_ some sort of emotional intimacy is so terrifying that he never talks about it.” She started to massage small circles into his scalp. It was really nice. “So he’ll make a big show of talking about nothing but at the same time he’ll hand stitch coats, or act concerned over a friend’s heartsickness, or arrange for apologies to be made because he wants the people he loves to be taken care of, he just doesn’t want to dare let them know that he loves them.”

It was a lot to think about, a lot that made the enigma that was Harry make sense. Chad always thought he was flippant because he was rich, because he was expected to act a certain way. He never thought that it was because he was scared just like Chad was, even though he had no reason to be.

So Chad said the first thing that came to his mind. “Harry loves you.”

“I know,” Uma chuckled. “He loves Gil too. And when he’s ready to tell us, we’ll be here for him.”

When he was done running away, he’d come back – Chad realized. For Uma, it didn’t even seem to be a question, no matter who Harry ran around with.

“He loves Mal too,” Uma continued. “Has a thing for women of authority. It’s one of the reasons they fight so much.” That… made sense. “And, of course, he loves you.”

“ _Uma_.” Chad tried to hide his face in the pillow, but she wouldn’t let him.

“No, blondie – you’ve got to hear this,” she tutted. “He loves you too. He sends me pictures of you just about every damn day. At first I thought it was to annoy me, but then I realized he just couldn’t help himself.”

“…oh.” Chad didn’t know what to say, the concept of _Harry_ loving him seemed farfetched, even if Uma seemed to believe it. Until ten minutes ago, he was pretty sure Harry only tolerated him.

But apparently Chad was loved, and while he wanted so badly to trust that, he knew he had to be careful. 

“You’ll figure it out,” Uma decided. “Gil and I have waited for Harry for years. We can wait for you too.”

“Why?” Chad asked before he could help himself. “You don’t know me.”

“Please.” Uma rolled her eyes. “I have been treated to a play-by-play of most of your conversations from Gil, Harry, Mal, _and_ Ben. Now, I’ll accept the fact that you don’t know me, because you don’t.” She continued to move her hand in lazy patterns. “But I know you, Kit. And whether you started off as a distraction or not, you’re part of the crew now.” She gave Chad a moment to let that settle. “And that means you’ll never be alone again.”

He wasn’t sure how she knew, but she was kind enough not to say anything when the tears started rolling down Chad’s cheeks. If asked, he could attribute it to his illness and not the desperate hope that her words were true, because he so desperately wanted them to be.

He couldn’t ask though, so he didn’t. 

Instead he let the tears take over until he was drifting off into sleep again, lulled by the gentle movements of the hand in his hair. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

This time when Chad woke up it was to Jay pulling him into the sitting position. 

“Food,” Jay explained as Chad slumped and wavered and was generally unhelpful, compromising with settling against Jay’s side while Gil rested some sort of lap tray in front of them. “You need to eat.”

“No,” Chad groaned, burying his nose in Jay’s shoulder. “Sleep.”

“Food first,” Jay sighed, wrapping an arm around Chad’s waist. Between his insistence and Gil’s puppy eyes Chad managed to drink half a mug of broth and forced down some toast, hydrating with tea and water and some more medicine until Chad was pretty sure his stomach was going to revolt.

“No more,” he urged, pouting and not even caring about it. “Please.”

“ _Now_ , he’s polite,” Jay grumbled, but he passed the tray back to Gil without argument, so maybe Chad’s word mattered after all.

The blond cleared his throat. “um… did I wake up and freak out earlier?”

“Oh, yeah,” Jay confirmed with at least a hint of regret.

“…did I cry in front of-?”

“Ben and Mal?” Jay finished. “Yeah, you did.”

“ _Fuck_.” Chad buried his face in Jay’s shirt, breathing in his comforting scent through what little remained of his unclogged nasal passages. “I can’t even be sick right.”

“You had a fever,” Jay pointed out.

“No excuse.” At least, Chad was deciding it was no excuse. “Hey, I’m feeling better now-”

“You’re not going to work.”

“ _Jay_ ,” Chad sighed even though he’d known it was a long shot. “Whatever. Um…” He looked around, clutching the fluffy blanket closer. “…was Uma here earlier?”

For a moment, Jay tensed, but then he was relaxing again. “Yeah. She said you talked.”

“Aw, man.” Chad couldn’t even _remember_ everything but he was pretty sure the word ‘love’ had been thrown around like- a _lot_ , which did not bode well for him.

“…she’s not that bad,” Jay chuckled.

“No,” Chad sighed. “Just- I wish I could have made a better first impression than the sweaty sick guy she had to watch.”

“She volunteered, you know,” Jay said quietly, lips moving against Chad’s hair. “She wanted to watch you.”

“…for Gil?” If she was even half as devoted to Gil as he was to her, she must love the blond a hell of a lot.

“And Harry,” Jay said lightly, like he knew. 

“Was he here?” Chad asked, knowing what the answer would be but feeling compelled to check anyway.

“Got here while you were sleeping,” Jay said. “He and Mal have been having it out. The others are trying to mediate.”

“Shouldn’t you- you know…” Chad swallowed. “You were one of the things they argued about.”

“…the underlying issue lie with each other,” Jay said finally. “Do you want a shower?”

Chad latched onto the shift in conversation gladly. “Yes, please.” The very least he could do was keep this very fancy bed from being grosser than it needed to be. “I um- I’ll need help though.”

“I’m here for you, Kit,” Jay said. For how long though, was the real question. 

Chad didn’t say much of anything when Jay carried him into the bathroom, ferrying towels and a change of clothes for both of them onto the marble counter. Jay stripped down with him, angling them both under the spray, settling them on some sort of carved in stone bench that had been installed for this explicit purpose. 

“…Mal loves you a lot, Jay,” Chad said when the explorer began to massage shampoo into his hair.

The comment made Jay pause, but he recovered brilliantly, almost as if he’d never stopped. “Of course she does, Kit.”

“No, like-” Chad swallowed. “Like _in_ love with you.”

“Mal’s in love with Ben, Kit,” Jay explained this patiently, as though he’d repeated it to himself many times. “She can’t be in love with me.”

“Yes, she can.” Because Chad already knew that much. “She can be in love with both of you. Harry said-”

“Forget _Harry_.” Jay’s voice was low when he said it, though his irritation didn’t seem to be aimed at Chad.

“-she loves both of you,” Chad continued. “And that Ben likes whatever she likes-”

“He wouldn’t _love_ me,” Jay snapped, actually _snapped_ , but his hands were still gentle in Chad’s hair, careful not to run soap into his eyes.

“Yes he would,” Chad decided. “You’re funny and loyal and- and stubborn and really good looking.” And if those weren’t reasons to love someone, Chad didn’t know what _were_. “He loves you enough to give you a ship and a crew to explore the world.”

“…I think he mostly wanted to get me out of the way,” Jay mumbled. “…but then _Mal_ got upset so he’s in a weird place.”

“I don’t think Ben’s like that.” Granted, Chad never really got to talk to Ben. “He’s too straightforward, and he always smiles when he talks about you.”

“No he doesn’t,” Jay mumbled. “Don’t say that.”

“I’m not lying,” Chad said, trying to squeeze Jay’s bicep. “He smiles and then he and Mal share this look and I think he might be sad that you’re leaving too-”

“And what about you?” Jay interrupted, finishing with Chad’s hair and moving onto his body, rubbing a foaming loofa across his chest. “Are you sad that I’m going?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Chad interrupted without hesitation. “Yes. I hate it. I hate the idea of you leaving even though I know you deserve to go. I hate the idea of not sharing a bed with you at night, or reading with you, or listening to you try to explain Tourney. I hate the idea of not having dinner with you, or hugging you, or hearing your voice- and I hate that Gil and Harry are leaving with you too because then I’ll be all alone again and I don’t-” He swallowed, hoped the spray of water was wiping away whatever tears had managed to leak from the corners of his eyes. “-and I’ve known you for like, _five minutes_. You don’t think this is killing Mal more? Of course she wants you around to help plan her wedding, she loves you.”

“I _can’t_.” Jay paused his cleaning to hold Chad against his chest, cradling him close as though desperately seeking comfort. “I _can’t_ , Kit. I can’t stay here and help her pick out a cake and watch her try on a dress and fucking _know_ none of it’s for me. I’m greedy and selfish and no-good and I can’t do that.”

“You are none of those things,” Chad murmured against his chest. “You’re _not_. A greedy person wouldn’t have brought me to the castle and called in to my work just because I was sick. A greedy person wouldn’t take Gil under his wing just because he could. Mal wouldn’t love a greedy person, and she loves you a _lot_.”

“I wish that were true,” Jay murmured, sorrow leaking into his voice. “I really wish it was, Kit, but it’s not.”

“Yes, it is.”

The new voice came from the door of the closed in shower stall, and both Jay and Chad blinked up to find Ben standing there in a royal approximation of lounging clothes, a blush spilling across the bridge of his nose even though he kept his gaze on their faces.

“Mal loves you,” Ben said, stepping into the shower despite the fact that it left him immediately soaked. “I don’t think it was something she was ever comfortable exploring until you got off of the Isle-”

“ _Ben_.” Jay seemed frozen under the king’s attention, clutching Chad against him but unable to turn away from the king who knelt on Jay’s free side, wrapping his arms around both of them. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for, Jay. What Kit said was true.” Ben had a hand cupping Jay’s cheek looking like something out of a movie, and in a moment they were going to kiss and there was going to be a happy ending after all. “Mal’s in love with you but she won’t act like it because _you’re_ so determined to act like you’re not in love with her and I love _both of you_ a lot so could you please just- talk to each other.”

“Ben.” Jay didn’t seem able to say anything but his name. “Ben, you can’t say that.”

“Love you,” Ben said, and then he very much totally kissed Jay.

And it was- very pretty. Way nicer than anything Chad could ever envisioned. He’d had aimless mental ponders before where he tried to picture what he and Jay might look like when they were kissing, but he was pretty sure this took the cake. This was artistry in motion, like movie stars and romance novel covers and Chad was thrilled for Jay, because he’d obviously been wanting this for a very long time, but that didn’t stop the stupid tears from falling down his cheeks.

“Um…” Chad tried to speak up when the kisses began to get more heated. “Should I um- leave you alone?”

“ _No_ ,” they said at the same time, blinking at each other before turning their attention to Chad.

“No, Kit,” Ben said, reaching out to cup _his_ cheek as well. “You’re part of this.”

“No, I’m not.” Chad’s voice didn’t even crack when he said it. “You barely know me. The only reason you met me was because Harry thought I was a security concern.”

“And we’re lucky he did,” Jay said, pulling Chad until he was settled between Ben and Jay, the blond sitting in the v of Jay’s legs as King Ben sort of looked him over. “We owe him one.”

“Or ten,” Ben said, cradling Chad’s face between his hands. “Mal likes you too, you know. _I_ like you.”

“And I love you,” Jay murmured into his ear, forcing Chad to swallow a broken cry.

He squeezed his eyes shut, not sure what to do. “ _Jay-_ ”

“I hate the thought of leaving you too. The thought of leaving Mal and Ben – but especially you. You look at me like I’m _somebody_ , and you don’t hate me even though you really should-”

“Water under the bridge,” Chad sniffed, conscious of Ben’s hands still on him. “Jay-”

“I love you,” Jay repeated. “And I’m not even afraid of that.”

It was too much – between the conversation he might have had with Uma and this and Ben and Jay cradling him between them, and Chad was far from anything special, but they looked at him like he was.

“Well, that’s _bloody_ good for you,” a voice snarled from the door, and the three of them looked up to find Harry standing in the doorway, Uma a solid presence behind him. “How _noble_ of ye, Jadir-”

“ _Harry_ ,” Chad croaked before he could stop himself, one hand reaching towards him before he could remember that was a bad idea.

It seemed like the anger left Harry’s system in a moment, leading the other teen to march into the spray so he could hover next to Chad, batting Ben’s hands out of the way so he could hold the blond instead.

“I thought I wouldn’t see you again,” Chad murmured, trying to keep his gaze focused through the blur of tears. “I’m sorry-”

“ _Kitten_.” Harry hugged him, pulled Chad against his chest despite the fact that Jay and Ben were right _there_ , running a hand through Chad’s curls. “Ye have nothing to apologize for-”

“Tell him you’re still friends,” Jay spoke up, voice firm. “Or that you _are_ friends.”

“Or better yet,” Uma cut in. “Let’s have this conversation _outside_ the shower, you schmucks.” She turned her gaze towards Ben. “I expected better from you, your majesty.”

Ben shifted his shoulders in a sheepish shrug. “I may have gotten caught in the moment.”

It was awkward, Ben getting tugged out of the shower by Uma – Jay and Harry refusing to leave until they finished with Chad. Both of them were excessively careful when they dried him off, redressing them in Jay’s clothes (Harry growled at them, but Jay was smirking, and Chad was happy they were both close so he chose not to say anything). It sort of got better when they stumbled back into the main room to find the others- Ben dressed in another pair of Jay’s clothes and Mal and Gil lingering awkwardly near the couches. They perked up at the sight of them, Mal dragging Harry back into the bathroom to change into a bundle of clothing she had under her arm, but not before giving each of them a kiss on the cheek. Even Harry.

It was so overwhelming Chad didn’t know what to do. It was sort of a relief when Gil decided enough was enough and swept Chad off his feet, carrying him over to the couch so he could curl in Gil’s lap. It wasn’t long before the others settled around them – Jay on one side and Uma on the other, Ben bringing over a selection of blankets and letting Chad huddle under the fluffy one that he happily nuzzled into, pretending that it still smelled like Jay even though it didn’t.

When Mal and Harry finally emerged (Harry scowling in a set of Jay’s clothes), she dragged the nobleman over to the couch where he was cuddled between her and Ben, which was a position Harry didn’t seem to know what to do with.

“So,” Uma began with a drawl, one hand resting on Gil’s bicep. “I think we need to clear the air about some things, because this bullshit has to stop.”

“What bullshit?” Mal asked, seemingly contrary out of habit.

“The bullshit where your new boytoy walks an hour in the rain, for starters,” Uma replied smoothly. “Or where you cause a public scene and leave him to deal with the fallout. Or where you-” She motioned to Jay. “Avoid your precious Mal out of fear, or where Harry avoids everyone-”

“ _Hey_ ,” the nobleman spoke up with a flush, but Mal managed to silence him mostly by cuddling closer to him.

“It’s dumb,” Uma declared. “So let’s spell this shit out. Harry-” She turned to her friend. “Gil and I love you. Deal with it. Mal-” she continued over Harry’s sputters. “-Jay’s so in love with you that the prospect of helping you plan a wedding for you and another guy pushed him to heavy drinking and general cowardice.”

“It wasn’t _that_ heavy-” Jay muttered, which did little to calm the concerned look in Ben’s eyes.

“Granted, you stopped after you started hanging out with Kit,” Uma continued. “Otherwise _I_ would have put a stop to that shit.”

“About that,” Mal spoke up, turning to face Chad. “When the hell did you meet Jay?”

“Um…” Chad shrugged, decided to go with what was technically the third time he had met Jay, as that was what had led to their relationship. “When he drunkenly broke into my house about a month ago. He wanted me to press charges, but I got him to help with chores as a punishment instead and then we bonded.”

“You should still press charges,” Jay muttered, pointedly not looking at anyone.

“I won’t now, nor ever _shall_ , press charges,” Chad insisted, turning his attention to Mal. “ _That’s_ how I knew how upset he was over all this. He thought… really lowly of himself, and it was tearing him up inside, to think that you disapproved of him.”

“Meanwhile,” Uma cut in. “You’re so busy thinking that he _couldn’t_ care that you blow off his behavior as spiteful avoidance.”

“Okay, _okay_ ,” Mal hissed, waving her off. “I was wrong. I was afraid of ruining our friendship so I just- I didn’t say anything.”

Jay ducked his head. “…that is also why I didn’t say anything.”

“Great,” Uma drawled. “Now that we’ve got that sorted, let’s move onto the part where both Harry and Jay are fucking Kit.”

“They aren’t _fucking_ me.” Chad felt his entire face flare red as a tomato. “We have _benefits_.”

“Wait.” Jay blinked, cheeks flushing red. “Are you- and _Harry_?”

“What about it?” Harry snapped, glaring Jay down. “Far as I know, I got to him first.”

“That isn’t-” Jay turned to Chad. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Harry said we’re not supposed to,” Chad murmured. “Which is dumb because he totally told _you_ even though you apparently forgot about it.”

“I did not,” Harry hissed, pale skin of his cheeks colored red. “I told ye that was between _us_.”

“Drunk Jay disagrees,” Chad replied, cuddling into Gil who seemed to be completely without judgement. “That was one of our first talking points.”

“Oh fuck,” Jay groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead. “Was _that_ why I gave you a blowjob?”

“…you really wanted to be helpful,” Chad said quietly. “You thought that was all you were good for- which is _wrong_ , by the way.”

“Super wrong,” Gil added, squeezing Jay close. “You’ve taught me all kinds of stuff, Jay, and none of it had to do with sex.” 

“ _Guys_.” Jay buried his face in his hands, as though it would lessen his embarrassment. Chad knew from experience that it wouldn’t. “Please don’t pay attention to what I said while I was drunk-”

“We sort of have to, since that’s the only time you appear to be _honest_ ,” Mal snapped. Her anger seemed to immediately diminish with a sigh. “This is- we’re getting sidetracked.”

“I’ll say,” Uma huffed. “Bottom line, we’ve got some crossover, princess.”

“…So what do you propose we do?” Mal asked innocently, wearing an air of forced disinterest.

“Well first of all, you and Harry could get over each other and make out already,” Uma said, causing both of them to immediately respond with fervent embarrassment. “And then we could decide to share and share alike.”

“What do you mean?” Ben asked before either Mal or Harry could cut in.

“I mean, Jay’s already fond of Gil – and how can I blame him?” Uma pet the blond’s broad cheek, who grinned happily at the contact. “Everyone’s fond of Gilly. Mal wants my first mate and everyone here pretty much likes Kit so-” She revealed all this with a lazy wave of her hand. “For the sake of simplicity, let’s open this up to a group relationship. No more hiding, everyone gets what they want, and I don’t have to watch either of these idiots drink themselves into an early grave.”

“Hey,” Harry tried to speak up, but Uma cut him off with a roll of her eyes.

“Harry, _everyone_ knew you had ‘benefits’ with Kit because you got drunk and _told_ most of us, you idiot.” She swiveled her head towards Kit. “The only reason Jay probably didn’t remember was because he was _also_ drunk off his ass.”

“How about no more underage drinking?” Ben asked quietly. “And as to your suggestion…”

“What?” Uma challenged. “You think Auradon’s not ready for that kind of relationship?”

Ben wasn’t put off by her tone. “I think if we do this, we have to be dedicated,” he explained. “We’d have to go all in, and that’s a pretty big commitment.”

“What, like get married?” Gil asked, an innocent question that seemed to freeze most everyone in the room.

Still, Ben nodded. “Like get married,” he confirmed. “People couldn’t criticize it if we set a precedence.”

“That’s… a big jump,” Mal said eventually, focus clearly devoted to the implications of his statement.

“It was something I had already prepared for,” Ben said easily. “I had already planned for including Jay.” Beside Chad, Jay sputtered, cheeks blushing a furious pink. “I had extra plans for whether or not the thing with Harry would develop-”

“You were gonna steal him too?” Uma asked, cocking a brow.

Ben gave her an unimpressed look. It was really weird on him. “I know you guys are a package deal, Uma. All three of you were going to be included.”

“And you didn’t think to tell _me_?” Mal asked, reaching across Harry to swat at Ben’s arm. “ _Ben_.”

“It’s always best to plan for these things,” Ben defended. “I didn’t know if it’d come to a head. I _hoped_ it would, but I didn’t _know_ , and then Jay started drifting away…”

“Hiding,” Uma muttered with a roll of her eyes.

“And…” Ben shrugged. “Look, it’s not a decision we have to make today, but I want to put it out there that I’d be happy to stand on an alter and wed each and every one of you. That’s all.”

“Fucking royalty,” Harry muttered, dragging a hand across his face. “Ye know he’s a king cuz he can say shit like that with a straight face.”

“I like this plan,” Gil declared, nuzzling against Chad’s damp curls. “I’d like to be married to all of you, so everyone knows I’m yours and you’re mine.”

“Ye wouldn’t get to be with anyone else, Gilly,” Harry said, not quite looking at the blond. “That’s what it would mean.”

“I don’t _want_ to be with anyone else,” Gil pressed, so painfully earnest. “All my life I only ever wanted you and Uma – and then we got out here and there was Jay and Kit and-” He looked down bashfully, hand brushing against Chad’s cheek. “I know I don’t know Ben and Mal that well, and I’m not very smart-”

“Gil,” Mal cut in gently. “We’d be honored to marry you too.”

“If you’d have us,” Ben added with a smile.

It was delightful to see Gil’s cheeks flush like that. “…then I’m good,” he said. “I’m all in.”

Jay cleared his throat. “You realize, Uma, that if you um- agreed to this you’d be married to me and Mal as well.”

“You think I don’t consider that a benefit?” Uma asked with a wicked smirk. “Hothead, I can’t wait to see you and Harry go to town on each other, and princess over there is just a perk.” She finished this with a wink, smile broadening when Mal simply rolled her eyes.

“And we all know how you feel about Ben,” Mal murmured, trying to regain an equilibrium.

Ben perked up. “How does she feel about Ben?”

“The same way the rest of us feel about ye, ye daft twit,” Harry muttered, but he seemed hopelessly embarrassed by the prospect.

“Don’t get a big head,” Uma warned just as Ben made the connection, a brilliant smile spreading across his face.

“Do you guys _like_ me?”

“Are you _kidding_?” Harry groaned. “Of course we like ye. _Everyone_ likes you despite the fact we tried really hard not to because you’re too damn _nice_.”

“It’s sort of like Kit,” Gil added. “Who’s nice and sweet and has the best hugs.”

“Yeah, he does,” Jay murmured, somewhat dreamily.

“So we all love our squishy Auradon boys,” Mal concluded. “Harry, Jay- are _you_ guys okay with this?”

“As the two biggest flight risks, we have a right to know,” Uma added, staring them down coolly.

“Ye think I’d leave ye, captain?” Harry asked with a growl.

“You’ve been hiding from me for years, Hook,” Uma said, unimpressed. “Don’t pretend you’ve got any ground to stand on.”

“I won’t run,” Jay said, keeping his gaze locked with Mal. “I did that once and I’m sick of it. Please-”

“We were always going to marry you, _stupid_ ,” Mal said, annoyed until Jay crossed the distance between them, more or less collapsing against her lap.

“Harrison?” Uma prompted. “You gonna buck up?”

“Haven’t backed down from a challenge yet,” Harry declared, crossing to her with a predatory prowl before crouching between her and Gil, letting himself rest against both their legs. “I’ll ride with ye as long as you’ll have me.” 

“What about you, Kit?” Gil asked, running his fingers through Chad’s hair. “Would you want to marry us?”

Until this point, Chad hadn’t really been applying the immensity of the situation to himself, focusing on the way the others- his favorite people, interacted. Marriage was something he had never considered as an option. Hell, _friendship_ had seemed unlikely until a few months ago, and the thought of these people willing to pledge themselves to him, of pledging himself to _them_ – he wanted it more than anything else in the world, even if he was mostly being included out of kindness.

“Yes,” Chad gasped, nodding against Gil’s chest as he tried to keep his tears in check. “Yes, please. I’ll be good, I promise-”

“You’re already good,” Uma said quietly, letting her hand rest on his cheek. “You’d be committing to a whole lot of crazy, and none of us would blame you if you wanted to back out-”

“I don’t,” Chad said, voice wet and shaky but _true_. “Please.”

“Always polite,” Jay marveled, staring up at him with a look of fondness.

“ _Someone_ needs to be,” Mal declared, earning a bright grin from Ben.

“What now?” Gil asked, giving all of them a blinding smile. “Do we have sex?”

“ _Um_.” Chad flushed red. “…I’m still sick.”

“Which means no sex for Mal and Harry,” Uma decided. “Since it’s their damn fault anyway.”

“Gonna make that up to you,” Harry declared, shifting up onto the couch so he could cuddle Chad. “I’m so sorry, Kitten.”

“Just- don’t leave again,” Chad asked quietly. “Not like that.”

“We won’t,” Mal promised, and somehow Chad was able to believe her.

“Does this mean we get rings?” Gil asked while the two of them guided Chad back to bed, the blond having safely reached his limit for coherency.

“Rings are definitely in order,” Ben said. “I’ll reach out to Jane and Evie about making the announcement…”

The planning started muddling together in Chad’s ears, but it didn’t really matter. He had Harry tucked around his back, Mal pushing curls out of his face, and all the attention he could possibly need. For now, for this moment, he was good.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it everybody! I realize there's still a lot of questions that haven't been answered - those will be addressed in the sequel, ['Only On My Own'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23809021/chapters/57203578). This does have the misfortune of being part one of a trilogy of stories, so be prepared for a few more weeks of nonsense :)
> 
> Thanks to everyone for your lovely support throughout the course of this story! It is always a pleasure to write for the Descendants Fandom, because you guys are so enthusiastic and kind and fun. Thank you so much for the feedback, it is always greatly appreciated, if you cannot tell by the excessive amount of exclamation marks I use when I reply ;D
> 
> After this will be the deleted scenes, and then I'll get to work posting the first chapter of the sequel. I hope you enjoyed this piece, and thanks for sticking around for the ride!
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> Fuck it, everybody in the shower. Let’s do this dumb thing ;P
> 
> Also, check it out, it’s Uma! Uma gets to be in the story! Hooray!
> 
> While Chad has visited Evie’s castle many times, let’s just say he and Uma have never crossed paths until this exact moment due to a series of dumb and non-re-creatable events. 
> 
> Until next time :)
> 
> -:-:-:-:-:-
> 
> ‘And when it’s cold outside, I feel no fear. Even in the winter storms, I am warmed, by a small but stubborn fire, and there is nowhere I would rather be. It isn’t much, but it is enough for me. It isn’t much, but it is enough for me.’ – ‘My House’ from ‘Mathilda the Musical’.


	10. Deleted Scenes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I have a tendency to write stories out of order, I often end up with miscellaneous scenes that don’t go anywhere.   
> This story ended up with quite a few, actually.

** Chapter 3 – Alternative Ending **

Notes: _Had an ending that was a short and sweet peace out by Jay, though I ultimately decided to cut it because it didn’t really give any kind of closure_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad wasn’t sure what woke him besides the building cold on his legs, exposed skin shivering under the good air circulation of wherever he had rested, which was strange enough in itself. Yes, he was used to sleeping cold, but that was generally _after_ he’d bundled himself under what blankets he had. _Now_ he was passed out on top of his bed, and for whatever reason his lower body was naked which was… weird.

He slowly pushed himself into the sitting position, feeling the slide of silky material shift across his thighs. Oh right, the dare- Evie’s room. _Jadir_. 

That woke Chad up more than anything else, though when he looked around he noticed that the other teen was missing (and the panties with him, though he seemed to have left the jewelry for some reason). Chad should… worry about that, probably, but the window was shut and he couldn’t have gone _that_ far so Chad just… hoped for the best. He’d change back into his own clothes and then try to flag down one of the others. That seemed like a good plan. 

Chad slid to his feet, moving to pad over towards Evie’s closet where his clothes remained when he realized he had something crumpled in his hand. It was paper, he realized, torn from one of Evie’s notebooks. He unfolded the wad carefully, smoothing out the crinkles until a messy sort of chicken scratch was revealed. The message was simple, but effective, merely saying ‘ _Sorry, pretty lady’_.

If Jadir was competent enough to manage _that_ much, he probably wouldn’t get himself in too much trouble, right?

Chad tried not to think about it, tucking the note into the pocket of his pants before retreating with his clothes to Evie’s bathroom, deciding to wash the strange night away.

As far as apology’s went this was… certainly an event. 

At least it ended up more or less a good one.

-:-:-:-:-:-

** Chapter 3 – Alternative Alternate Ending **

Notes: _Briefly considered having Harry and Chad lead into sexy times at the end of the chapter 3, but it seemed to be a bit too soon for the two of them. That was why I ultimately pushed it off, but I did write this much before losing interest_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“I didn’t expect you to push up my skirt,” Chad snapped, smoothing the front of the silky material down and shivering when it pressed against him, which was really _not the time_ for his libido to get interested.

Of course, Harry caught the movement, and his eyes narrowed in knowing interest. “…like the feel of it, Kitten?”

“D-don’t change the subject.” Chad forced his hands to lay flat against his sides, otherwise he might start- touching himself or something else equally horrible and where was literally _anyone else_ when he needed them. “Why did you do that?’

“I was _hoping_ to get a peak of your panties,” Harry said, sliding off the bed and crossing to Chad in confident movements. “But I got something much better.”

Chad flushed, taking another step back. What a familiar routine. “ _Pervert_.”

“Just being honest.” Harry shrugged. “I mean-” He grabbed Chad’s elbow, turning him gently to face the full-length mirror. In it, he still looked just as pretty as Evie had originally left him, even if the girl that started at him seemed slightly more frayed around the edges. “Look at ye.”

Chad shifted uncomfortably. “…Harry.”

“Come on.” Harry’s hands settled on Chad’s hips, the nobleman hooking his chin over Chad’s shoulder, much like Gil had before. “Touch yourself.”

“ _What?_ ” He couldn’t- he couldn’t _say_ that, not when they were in a princess’ _room_. “I’m not-”

“Through the _dress_ ,” Harry huffed. “Ye know ye want to.”

“Sure, I _want_ to,” Chad allowed. “That doesn’t mean I _should_. This is _Evie’s_ dress-”

“Pretty sure it’s yours, now,” Harry drawled. “Come on, you’re telling me ye don’t want to see this pretty girl get worked up?”

“ _I’m_ the pretty girl, Harry.” They were not words Chad ever thought he’d say, and yet, here he was. “So, no-”

“I think,” Harry interrupted, smug and stupidly all-knowing. “Ye do. Here.”

He took Chad’s hand, moving it to cup between his legs, molding the silky material against him in a gentle caress. 

“ _Harry_ ,” Chad whined when…

-:-:-:-:-:-

** Chad Finds out about Harry’s Father **

Notes: _I ended up deciding to push this discovery to the sequel of the story, because it took away a potential fun plot element. It’s not really as explored as much as it could be here, which was why it was cut, and also having Harry clearly label himself as Chad’s friend took away another potential for angst that I obviously could not pass up on, which was why this had to go ;P_

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad wasn’t sure _how_ things came to a head, they just did. Lila and Harry had been sniping at each other all afternoon in their usual dance of passive aggression until Lila could stand no more of it, taking in Harry’s cocky grin from where his head was tilted against Chad’s knee, the nobleman sprawled out on the floor, as was becoming his usual.

“You know he’s only nice to you because he doesn’t know who you _are_ , right?” Lila pressed, expression twisted in a firm sneer. “Kit’s so sheltered, I’m surprised he knew who the _king_ was.”

“Hey.” Chad frowned, disregarding the fact that he’d only known that much because he’d seen Ben’s face plastered on the newspapers in front of the library. “I’m not _that_ sheltered.”

“You’re not?” Lila challenged. “Tell me, Kit, who _is_ Harry?”

Chad felt the moment Harry tensed, though he hid it well, which did little for Chad’s nerves. “...he’s a nobleman,” Chad said, deciding to stick with the basics. “He’s an official explorer of Auradon in charge of ocean voyages. He’s friends with Ben and Mal.”

“A _nobleman_ ,” Lila snorted, rolling her eyes. “There’s nothing _noble_ about him.”

“Yes, there is.” Chad frowned - didn’t Lila see the cut of Harry’s clothes? Or his easy charisma?

“Here’s another question,” Lila pressed instead of following up on Chad’s point. “Do you know who Captain Hook is?” At Chad’s confused silence, she continued. “Or Ursula the sea witch? Gaston?”

“That’s Gil’s dad.” Chad felt relieved that he could actually answer one of her questions. “...but they’re estranged.”

“His dad’s in _prison_ ,” Lila countered. “Just like Harry’s dad is in prison, and Uma and Mal’s moms are in prison. They’re all just villain kids.”

That... didn’t make any sense. Harry acted so confident everywhere he went, and obviously it wasn’t _bad_ that he was a VK, Mal was a VK and she was awesome, it just- took some mental readjusting.

“A nobleman,” Lila giggled. “I can’t believe you spent this entire time thinking you were rubbing elbows with the upper class.”

“Harry _is_ upper class.” Granted, he wasn’t born into it, but that didn’t change who he was. “He’s a part of Ben’s council - who his dad is doesn’t change that.” 

“You wanna know what his dad did to _get_ sent to the Isle?” Lila stared at him with a look of unmitigated intensity. “He hunted and attempted to _murder_ a bunch of kids.”

“Harry’s not his dad,” Chad snapped. “And none of that’s Harry’s fault-”

“You’re so stupid.” Lila rolled her eyes. “He’s just using you, Kit. Because you’re one of the few people that will give him the time of day-”

“Shut your damn mouth,” Harry snarled, rising to his feet. “I sure as _hell_ am not using him.”

“Oh?” Lila raised her brows in a silent challenge. “Tell that to the mark on his _neck_.”

Chad flushed, feeling at the old bruise that must not have been as well hidden by his collar as he expected.

“You’re both pathetic,” Lila declared. “And you know what- I think you’re perfect for each other. Kit’s obviously never going to get anyone else and you-”

“That’s _enough_ , Lila,” Chad snapped, rising to stand beside Harry who was so painfully tense, who seemed a second away from losing it altogether. “What we do is none of your business, so just- stop talking about it.”

“Or what?” Lila challenged. “Is he gonna _hook_ me?”

Harry stared at her, body practically vibrating with violence, before he tore himself away, storming out of the back of the shop with an open growl. 

Chad scrambled to follow him, ignoring the calls Lila sent after him, more focused on Harry.

He wasn’t entirely sure _what_ just happened, but he knew he couldn’t leave Harry in that state. Not because of their- arrangement, but because he was Chad’s _friend_ , and Chad didn’t want to lose one of those just yet. Not when he’d finally gotten one.

So, he ran. And eventually, he found Harry.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The nobleman- the _explorer_ had stormed away to a secluded corner of the town, a shady park that was mostly ignored due to the dwindling heat of summer still going in full force.

“Harry!” Chad called after him, wincing when the other teen didn’t so much as look in his direction. “Harry, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for _what_?” Harry snapped. “Ye sure as hell didn’t do anything wrong. Though-” He pinned his sharp gaze on Chad. “...is that why ye did all this stuff? Why ye were so nice to us? Why ye let me _kiss_ you?”

“No, Harry.” Chad flushed, but stood his ground. “No. I won’t lie- my... assumption did greatly influence my understanding of you, but I meant what I said before. Who your parents are doesn’t matter, and it doesn’t change the fact that all of you guys are the king’s trusted associates.”

“Is that why I get to touch ye, though?” Harry surged into his space, hands curling against Chad’s hips as he tilted their foreheads together. “Cuz I’m friends with the king?”

“No, Harry,” Chad whispered, shaken that the other teen would even think as much. “...that’s because I like you.”

“But maybe she’s right,” Harry pressed. “Ye said it yourself, you’ve never talked to other people your age. Maybe I’m just- a _new experience_.”

“You are new,” Chad admitted. “But I- I wouldn’t use you like that, Harry. Just like you wouldn’t use _me_ like that.” He swallowed. “...right?”

Harry stared at him a moment, then dragged him into a hug, pressing a firm kiss against Chad’s lips that left him breathless. “No, I wouldn’t,” he confirmed. “I care for ye too much.”

Chad felt a dumb grin spread across his face. “...does that mean we’re friends?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Harry let his head fall back with a groan. “We’re bloody _friends_. Don’t get a big head over it.”

“Can’t help it,” Chad chirped. “Big, bad Harry the explorer just said we were _friends_.”

“Kit-”

“Pinch me,” he giggled with a flutter of his eyelashes. “I must be dreaming.”

“You’re gonna be _sorry_ in a hot second,” Harry snapped.

“No,” Chad hummed, leaning into Harry’s chest. “I don’t think I will be.”

And, for once, Harry didn’t argue with him, which proved that miracles _could_ happen after all.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Things got easier, after that. Lila could try to peck at them but Harry blissfully ignored her, content to help Chad and bask in his company, because that was all he needed. It made things easier, made Chad feel lighter. 

It even, dare he think it, gave him _hope_. 

Which was a marvelous thing indeed.

-:-:-:-:-:-

** Superfluous Sexy Times **

Notes: _So I had this whole sequence of events inspired by the scene where Jay reads to Chad, but unfortunately I couldn’t really make it fit anywhere in the story. It also added an element I felt distracted from other, more pressing plot elements, which was why it was cut_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

It became sort of a habit to wear the panties.

Because they were _soft_ and supportive and so much fancier than anything else Chad owned. And while on one hand he knew that their discovery would ultimately be met with declarations of perversion, he couldn’t help but _already_ feel like sort of an outcast as it was, so… why not wear pretty underwear? Jay seemed to appreciate it, if the nightly ravishing were anything to go by, and it _really_ wasn’t anyone else’s business, so-

There he was.

Of course, this decision didn’t come back to haunt him until a particularly enthusiastic ‘benefits’ session with Harry in the back of his car one day, when Chad had gotten so caught up in fiery kisses that he missed the button and fly of his pants being undo, Harry slipping his hand into the clothing to run his fingers against Chad’s underwear. 

_That_ was when Chad remembered his um- wardrobe change, so he may have slightly panicked when Harry pulled back with a furrow of his brows, looking down at the distinctly lacy fabric that had never been there before.

“Hey, um- maybe we don’t do that today.” Chad’s tone was edged with panic, hands moving to block Harry’s view with reflexive embarrassment. “How about I um- touch you, or-”

Harry batted his hands out of the way like it was nothing, pulling Chad’s pants down in a sharp _yank_ that made the pale blue fabric of the panties stand out even more. This pair even had dumb, tiny bows on the waistband. Chad was going to kill Jay, and then punch himself in the face. He was so stupid.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Harry breathed, curling his fingers over the ruffles of lace that Chad strained against. “…did ye do this for me?”

Chad flushed. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I-”

He cut off when Harry bent low, nuzzling against the delicate fabric with a gentleness that made Chad’s toes curl. “Have ye been wearing them for a while?” he asked, voice thick with some unreadable emotion. “Waitin’ for me?”

Chad pressed a hand to his mouth, though it did little to muffle his whine.

“Fuck,” Harry repeated, and then started mouthing at the material, sucking a warm heat that had Chad shuddering helplessly.

“Harry,” Chad moaned. “Harry, I’m gonna-”

“Do it,” Harry ordered between sucks, hands slipping up under the back of the panties so he could cup Chad’s rear. “Soil yer pretty little panties right now. Do it.”

“ _Harry_ ,” Chad whined, every touch of arousal compounding on him in the wake of Harry’s appreciation. Harry, who Chad wouldn’t have expected it from – who was rough edges and snide remarks and definitely not lace and silk and tiny bows. “It’s feels so- Harry. _Harry!_ ”

Just as ordered, Chad fell apart like that, soaking the delicate fabric with an enthusiasm he couldn’t help but release. 

Harry licked up what little smeared beyond the bounds of the soaked fabric, but otherwise did nothing, content to stare up at Chad with a Cheshire cat grin.

“Now we have ourselves a conundrum,” Harry breathed against his thigh, thumbing the lacy fabric at Chad’s hip. “Cuz I can take these off ye, clean ye up like a real gentleman – but that would leave the princess going commando for the rest of the day.” He pressed a kiss against Chad’s skin. “Alternatively, ye can keep them on nice and soiled like this, and every time ye moved ye’d have to think of me, think of what got ye to that state – an anyone who caught a sight of this would know what you’d done.” Rough fingers prodded at the wilted ruffles. “So, I imagine ye’d like me to clean ye up, right?”

Chad shuddered, because if he allowed Harry to remove them there’d be no telling when he’d get them back, and he’d promised Jay he’d wear them through the day no matter what. 

Somehow, Harry’s grin spread wider. “ _Naughty_ _girl_ ,” he cackled, giving Chad a squeeze. “Ye always manage to surprise me.”

Which seemed _rich_ coming from him, but Chad didn’t have the coherency to argue that point, not when Harry was so carefully pulling his clothes back into place, leaving Chad trapped inside his own mess.

The rest of the day was an exercise in torture, Harry refusing to let Chad retreat to the bathroom to clean up his predicament and making a general nuisance of himself. He even lingered to ‘give Chad a ride home’, forcing Mr. Marius to release both of them at three, and then proceeded to cart Chad to Evie’s castle where they were greeted by an enthusiastic Gil who hugged and squeezed and pressed them far too close for comfort. And when _that_ couldn’t get any more horrible, Harry shoved Chad into one of Evie’s design sessions, where he got the opportunity to talk fashion with _actual royalty_ and he had to live with the fact that he had collaborated with a _princess_ while wearing ruined panties and Harry was actually sort of the worst. Chad told him as much when he was finally allowed a bathroom break, Harry crowding behind his back to guide him through the process so Chad ‘wouldn’t cheat’. 

He somehow managed to get through dinner before Harry reluctantly drove Chad back towards his cottage, but not before ruthlessly teasing one hand between Chad’s legs while he was driving, making Chad fall apart all over again without ever taking his eyes off the road.

“I would invite you in, but I’m definitely not going to do that,” Chad groaned, pulling his bike from Harry’s trunk in frustrated movements.

Harry merely cackled in response. “Bring ‘em to the shop tomorrow and I’ll get them cleaned for ye,” he drawled. “Unless ye prefer them this way.”

“ _Goodnight_ , Harry,” Chad muttered, keeping his eyes fixed to the path as he made his way home, ignoring the satisfied laughter that echoed behind him. 

When Chad finally got to his cottage, he was ready to soak in a cold bath and call it a day.

He was substantially less ready for Jay to prowl into the space while Chad was still filling the tub, wearing an undeniable look of excitement. “Couldn’t wait,” he explained at Chad’s surprised look. “Did you wear them? Are they good?”

Chad _felt_ himself flush down to his toes, had to tear his gaze from Jay’s open look of satisfaction.

“ _Dude_.” Jay shut off the tub and all but carried Chad into the bedroom, depositing him on the bed in easy moments. “You’re killing me. The knowledge of this is killing me.”

“You don’t have to look,” Chad murmured as Jay pulled off his shoes, fumbled for Chad’s fly with uncharacteristic clumsiness. “ _Jay_.”

“I’ll stop if you want me to stop,” the other teen promised, pressing his face against Chad’s waist. “Just know that whatever is under this will not deter me in any way.”

“You say that _now_ ,” Chad groaned, hiding his face in his hands.

“I can pinky swear,” Jay offered. “Cross my heart? If you’re unhappy you can immediately retreat to the bathroom without any interference from me. Would that work?”

Chad would forever be weak to Jay’s stubborn insistence, even if the explorer didn’t know what he was getting into. “…okay. Just- it’s gross.”

“Highly doubt that,” Jay hummed, and then he was pulling Chad’s pants off of his legs.

When he was finished, he sort of stared at the mess that had become of the delicate fabric, blinking with wide open eyes, perhaps shocked by the depths of Chad’s depravity.

“Told you,” Chad muttered, shifting uneasily. “I’ll just-”

“You’re still _wet_.” Jay said this almost reverently, pulling the waist of the delicate material low so he could see the results of Harry’s last handjob. “ _Fuck_ , Kit. You didn’t even clean yourself up.”

Not for lack of trying, though Chad couldn’t say that. “I-”

“I get to do it for you,” Jay continued, seeming- _excited_ by the prospect. “Holy fuck, what a life.”

And then that was exactly what he did.

He peeled the fabric off of Chad slowly, taking his time to lick off the newest mess before he settled in on the results of Chad’s afternoon debauchery. He sucked carefully at the dried remnants, letting his tongue swirl against Chad’s skin in taunting swivels that left Chad breathless.

“Jay,” Chad hissed, one hand trembling on the back of Jay’s head. “Jay- _fuck_ , you don’t- you don’t have to-”

“Get to,” Jay muttered between licks. “Taste so good, baby.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Chad moaned, feeling terrible flicks of heat pool low in his belly. It didn’t take long for Jay’s mouth to wrap around him entirely, to urge Chad to come undone while the soiled panties were pooled halfway down his thighs. 

Chad shuddered through the aftershocks with small panted ‘ _oh_ ’s, unable to hold onto the coherence to do anything else until Jay was at last satisfied.

“Jay,” Chad breathed as the other teen pulled the panties off shaking legs, tossing them casually to the side. “Jay- that was- _Wow_.”

“Glad to hear it,” Jay murmured against his hip, rucking Chad’s sweater up so he could pet the exposed flesh of his abdomen.

“Are you-?” Chad swallowed, fingers twisting carefully in Jay’s hair. “Do you um- need attention?”

Jay blinked up at him slowly, seeming muddled by pleasure. “Do you- you don’t _have_ to give me any.”

“I-” Chad flushed, because when it was put that way, it was slightly horrible. “I’d like to. If you’d just- lie down.” He motioned for Jay to take his place before he could lose his nerve, Chad crawling low so he was eye-level with Jay’s groin. He reached out with a tentative hand, cupping the prominent bulge and swallowing at the presence there, trying to revel in Jay’s responsive moan.

Chad let that spur him on, hooking his fingers in the waist of Jay’s clothing before pulling it down in a jerked movement, allowing himself to get a close-up view of Jay’s- well. Of him. Wow. Yes, he was doing this. He was going to do this.

“ _Kit_ ,” Jay whined, thighs widening in a responsive shift. “You don’t have to-”

“I um-” The heat was spilling down Chad’s chest. “I don’t think I can fit all that in my mouth.” Those were words he did not expect to say, ever. “…can I lick you?”

“Fuck _yes_ , you can,” Jay muttered, which was all the permission Chad needed.

He knew his efforts were fumbling, but he cradled Jay in his hands as carefully as he could, taking a tentative lick that tasted of salt and heat and distinctly _Jay_. It was- intoxicating, how Jay would inhale sharply, coaxing Chad forward until his licks became a little more intentional, until he could suck at random spots and bask in the immediate responses. 

“You’re killing me,” Jay muttered as Chad teased him with his mouth and hands, somehow not freaking out despite the fact that he actually had his head between another guy’s legs. “Kit- fuck, baby. _Fuck_.”

“…feel good?” Chad asked belatedly, trying to take on the same cocky tone Jay used and failing miserably. “Are you um- close?”

“I was close when I saw the state of your panties,” Jay muttered, one hand sliding under his shirt so he could tease at his nipples. “But if you’re not careful I’m going to make a mess of your face, so just- let me grab a tissue or something.”

“No.” Chad shook his head, stubborn, because Jay never made _him_ finish into a tissue. “Let me just-”

“ _Kit_ ,” Jay groaned, and then Chad wrapped his mouth around the very tip, sucking carefully.

He almost choked on the pulse that followed, but in a desperate bid to manage _some_ level of composure Chad swallowed, swirling his tongue and generally trying to copy all the stuff Jay did to _him_ that was so very, very unfair.

“Fuck-fuck-fuck,” Jay was chanting. “This is so unfair; _you_ are so unfair.”

“But um- was it good?” Chad’s lips felt slick and swollen when he pulled away, but despite all the um- awkwardness of that day he felt triumphant, because Jay looked so pretty and _wrecked_ and Chad had done that, he’d actually done a cool thing.

“Too good,” Jay groaned. “Yes, Kit. _Fuck_ , you are unreal.”

“I um… do my best,” Chad allowed. Of course now that he felt triumphant his lingering awkwardness would come and try to rob him of it, making him aware that his bottom half was naked save for his dumb socks – the _king’s_ socks, and why had Chad worn those anyway? Oh right, he’d wanted to match the um- lingerie. 

“…I’m getting you a bralette,” Jay decided. “And a garter belt. Stockings. _Fuck_.”

“ _Jay_.” Chad did not need those things but apparently he _wanted_ those things because he was probably broken inside. “I um- I’m gonna-”

“Go bathe,” Jay dismissed with a sleepy grin. “I’ll get stuff cleaned up out here.”

“You don’t have to _wash_ my panties,” Chad muttered, hiding his face against Jay’s thigh.

“Yeah, I’m definitely not cleaning those,” Jay mused. “Might frame them though.”

“ _Jay_.”

“Go get cleaned up,” Jay ordered. “And then maybe we can read a few non-sexy chapters of the book.”

“…only if you do the voices.”

“Would I ever _dare_ not to?” Jay laughed. 

And yeah, Chad didn’t really need to ask, did he?

With a grumble, Chad climbed out of bed, laughing when Jay swatted at his butt and marveling at how bizarrely comfortable he felt. Suddenly, he empathized with whatever Mal must be going through that prompted Jay here in the first place, because Chad hadn’t known Jay for nearly as long, but he already knew that he was going to miss him more than words could possibly express. 

But that was something he would worry about in the future. For now, he had Jay’s company and a book that would be read with funny voices by a guy who pretended not to be nearly as invested in the romance as he actually was. And for now, that was more than good enough for Chad.

-:-:-:-:-:-

** Celebrating Harry’s Birthday **

Notes: _The scene below would have introduced Uma into the story **way** earlier, giving her the chance to shine like she truly deserves. Unfortunately, it also seemed to bring too much closure to Harry’s determined refusal to acknowledge people’s attraction towards him, or the attraction he has towards others, which was why it was cut_. 

_Warning: the scene below contains even dumber sexy time moments, that is all_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

After the impromptu kidnapping to Evie’s castle so that Gil could apologize, Harry made it a habit of lingering after work every once and a while under the guise of taking Chad home. In these instances, Mr. Marius would let Chad go early (the blond always tried to make up for it after the fact) and Harry would cart Chad off wherever he so chose. It was rarely the cottage, and today’s destination seemed to be a gleaming ship docked at Auradon Harbor. 

“She’s a thing of beauty, isn’t she?” Harry mused, staring up at the white gleaming vessel that towered up a few levels, the sides decked in the familiar yellow and blue crest of Auradon. “This is what we’ll be touring Auradon in.”

“ _Wow_.” Chad, who had only ever seen the ocean the day he’d gone to the ball, could only stare at its grandeur, at the overwhelming flashiness of the boat, and feel mildly small. “It’s amazing, Harry.”

In his peripherals, he saw Harry’s chest puff up. “Yes, it is. And I’m set to be her captain.” He guided Chad up the gangplank, motioning him towards a deck area that seemed to be blocked off from the rest of the world. “Gil’s acting as first mate, of course. And Jay-” Harry waved his hand dismissively. “…he’ll be present.”

“…is he that bad?” Chad asked cautiously, more or less knowing the answer but wanting to get Harry’s view on things.

“He’s irrelevant,” Harry said with a roll of his eyes, and Chad may have imagined it, but there may have been a slight flush dusting his cheekbones. “Come on, I got us a picnic.”

True to his word, Harry reached inside one of the cabins and brought out a wicker basket that he passed over to Chad, the two of them working in companionable silence to set out the food. 

It was all stuff Chad had shown a preference for in the past that could stay refrigerated – interesting sandwiches and fruit, salads portioned out in individual cups and small bags of chips. It was thoughtful and distinctly _not_ Harry-like, which was what led to Chad fumbling with the utensils.

“There’s a lot here,” he said in an effort to break the awkward silence. “How many did you pack for?”

“Just two.” Harry shrugged. “Ye can take the rest home.”

“Harry-”

“I’ve no use for it,” the explorer countered with a huff. “So ye’ll take it and I’ll hear no arguments about it-”

“Hey, guys!”

Gil’s voice broke into the standoff with startling effectiveness, cutting off whatever annoyance Harry had, changing it into open confusion.

“Gilly?” Harry frowned as the other teen ambled into the private picnic, plopping between Chad and Harry. “What are ye doing here?”

“Uma said you were visiting the ship today,” Gil replied brightly. “And you brought Kit, and food!” He shared a brilliant smile with the two of them. “Glad I decided to come then.”

“Um… the more the merrier,” Chad decided, seeing as he actually did enjoy Gil’s company a lot. “How are you doing, Gil?”

“Great!” the blond chirped. “I had a fitting with Evie today…”

What followed was a pleasant meal where the three of them were able to catch up (Harry, for all that he sometimes lived with Gil, didn’t get to see him that often), passing small talk and eating snacks. Every once and a while Chad thought he caught a frustrated look flicker across Harry’s face, but it almost always melted away into a muted sort of fondness that he would never likely own up to.

“Hey, you know what?” Gil snapped his fingers as though he was struck by a sudden thought. “I stashed something here the other day. I think you’ll like them, Kit.”

“And _what_ ,” Harry began to growl. “-exactly did ye-?”

But Gil had already disappeared into the depths of the ship, unlikely to return unless he’d located whatever his stored doohickey was.

“Bird brain,” Harry grumbled, though it seemed entirely for show.

For once, Chad decided to call him out on that. “Why do you do that?”

“Do _what_?” Harry sniffed, packing the excess food away in decisive movements.

“Pretend not to like Gil?” Chad pressed. “You’re super protective of him-”

“ _Someone_ has to be,” Harry said with a roll of his eyes.

“You care about his feelings,” Chad continued. “You dragged me to him just so he could apologize-”

“That was out of pity.” Harry aimed a narrowed glare at Chad. “Don’t look into this mess. Gil’s a great crewmate, and captain’s take care of their crewmates.”

“You’re allowed to like him.” Chad wasn’t sure why this was even an issue. “I don’t think anyone would be upset if you were friends.”

“But we’re _not_ ,” Harry snapped. “Now, drop it.”

“Harry-”

“I said _drop it_ ,” the nobleman snapped.

Before Chad could muster some kind of reply, Gil came back out onto the deck cradling three small plastic packages. He handed one out to each of them, tearing into his own with relish. “They’re _ice cream bars_ ,” he explained with a grin, holding up the bullet shaped object fixed to a popsicle stick. “It’s vanilla ice cream coated in a layer of chocolate. Carlos got them for me to bribe Jay with, but I figured we could break them in.”

“Why would you need to bribe Jay?” Chad asked, tearing into his package carefully, running his finger across the thin chocolate shell. Chad had seen similar treats like this at the grocery store, though the few times he’d had enough spare funds while grocery shopping he’d usually allotted them to other things. Like chocolate chips to bake cookies or a _new_ paperback that had been tossed into the discount bin.

“No idea.” Gil shrugged, biting the tip off of his treat. “But Carlos is Jay’s best friend, so like, he probably knows what he’s talking about.”

“Jay’s the lowest on the ladder,” Harry grumbled. “Ye won’t _need_ to bribe him, I’ll just order him into action if he’s being a git.”

“Spoken like a captain who takes care of his crewmates,” Chad grumbled, ignoring Harry’s unimpressed glare in favor of focusing on the gifted dessert. 

He wrapped his lips around the top carefully, letting the chocolate melt against his taste buds for a moment before finally biting into the treat. The ice cream was creamy and sweet, flooding his tongue with a sensation of delight that left Chad humming. He’d never had anything like this, never savored something so cold, the dichotomy between the soft ice cream and the hard chocolate shell crunching between his teeth. At times he’d linger, taking too long to enjoy the flavors to the point where ice cream melted across his hand, leaving Chad to suck the liquid remnants off his fingertips, licking it off the back of his knuckles, his lips, until he was down to depressingly empty but distinctly spotless popsicle stick.

Chad was staring at the barren stick when Gil cleared his throat, catching Chad’s attention. “Maybe um… you could finish Harry’s,” he offered, motioning to the nobleman with his own empty stick, Harry clutching a half-finished treat with wide eyes.

“I don’t think he’s done, Gil,” Chad said, feeling embarrassed by his obvious enjoyment.

“No,” Harry cut in, voice seemed a little rough from the ice cream. “He’s right. Ye can have it.”

He passed it over before Chad could try to protest. And, well, Chad was only human. And the ice cream _was_ good.

It was also bad to be wasteful, so he finished Harry’s treat as well, making a concentrated effort to lick away and melted trails of vanilla. When he was finished, Chad collected Gil’s trash and dumped their garbage in a nearby bin, settling back into his spot with a bashful smile. So maybe there was something to this chocolate business after all.

“You um- seem tense, Harry,” Gil spoke up suddenly.

Harry scowled at him. “I’m _fine_ , Gil.”

“No, you’re tense,” the blond insisted. “Here-”

“ _Gil_ ,” Harry snapped, though he was unable to stop the other teen from more or less dragging Harry into his lap. “Stupid _lug_ ,” he growled. “Put me _down_.”

“Can’t,” Gil decided, hooking his chin on Harry’s shoulder. “Not when I can help you.” One arm was wrapped around Harry’s waist, pinning him in place, while the other trailed down his torso, going lower until it curled pointedly between his legs, giving a firm _squeeze_. “You’re tense right here.”

He was- he was rubbing a hand between Harry’s legs, like this was a normal thing.

“ _Gil_.” Harry’s snarl was somewhat diminished by the furious blush flooding his cheeks. “Knock it- _ah_.”

He cut off with a groan, Gil’s hand continuing to rub and tease. Belatedly, Chad realized that because of way Harry had been sitting, Chad hadn’t noticed the nobleman’s predicament, but Gil had, and now he was- _right there_.

“Gil,” Harry’s protests had turned into gasps, his hips rutting into the firm contact of Gil’s hand. “Gil, _don’t-_ ”

“It probably hurts,” Gil said, brows furrowed in concern. “Uma said I was supposed to help you if this happened.”

“Bloody _forget_ Uma.” Harry’s hands clutched against Gil’s arms, torn between trying to pull him away and begging for more. “I don’t _need_ your help-”

“Sure, you do,” Gil chirped, stopping his movements to undo Harry’s fly, reaching his hand into the explorer’s pants. Harry’s head fell back with a moan, hips jutting into the contact, flush darkening when Gil pushed Harry’s clothes aside to reveal his throbbing interest. “You’re not even wearing underwear, Harry,” Gil tutted. “Did you plan this?”

“N- _no_ ,” Harry groaned, turning to bury his face in Gil’s neck. “Gilly-”

“Don’t worry,” Gil soothed. “You’re almost done, I can feel it.” Hazel eyes turned to pin Chad in place, who’d found himself frozen the moment this… ordeal had begun. “Would you push his shirt up, Kit?”

“W-what?” Chad stuttered, the epitome of awkwardness.

“So it won’t get dirty,” Gil elaborated. “It’s about to get real dirty, see?” He motioned to Harry meaningfully, the other nobleman whining under the attention. 

“O-okay.” Chad shifted forward, pushing the shirt up Harry’s trembling torso. The explorer hissed at the contact, seeming – embarrassed? Though Chad didn’t know why, they’d already done stuff like this before. Obviously not with Gil. Obviously not like _this_ , but Harry seemed to be enjoying things and Chad didn’t know if Harry and Gil had _benefits_ , because if they did Harry wouldn’t have told Chad about it. 

Harry was also super insistent that he wasn’t friends with _Chad_ , so maybe this was just his default relationship with people who were close to him.

“There you go,” Gil murmured, speeding up his hand. “You’re doing great Harry. You feel so good in my hand. So responsive and wet. Do you like being wet for me?”

“Gilly,” Harry gasped, seeming to barely hold onto coherence. “Gilly, _please_.”

“Okay, Harry.” Gil smiled. “Since you asked so nice.”

There was a meaningful grind of his palm and then Harry fell apart with a crow, head resting against Gil’s shoulder while the blond guided him through the process. It was a mesmerizing sight, seeing Harry lose himself so completely in the cradle of Gil’s arms. Part of it made Chad _hunger_ in ways he couldn’t explain, a distinct pain growing between his legs, but he tried not to pay attention to it. This wasn’t about him, it was about Harry, who looked thoroughly spent nestled in Gil’s laps covered in his own mess while a pretty pink flush spilled down his chest.

“Would you help me clean him up?” Gil asked, though his gaze was fixed between Harry’s legs, where he tried to wipe off what remained of Harry’s slick onto his clothes.

Chad felt himself choke on nothing. “I um- I don’t have a handkerchief.”

“Your mouth will be fine,” Gil said easily, like it wasn’t- like that _was_ fine, but Chad guessed if Gil had offered it and Harry didn’t object, then maybe it was okay after all.

So Chad took a steadying breath and leaned forward, beginning to lick the remnants off Harry’s torso. Unlike the ice cream, this was salty and warm and the consistency was far from smooth. But it was also- it was _Harry’s_ , and sort of obscene, but Chad took his time licking it off nonetheless, feeling it smear against his lips despite himself.

“Hey.” Chad blinked up at the sound of Gil’s voice, lips smeared with bitter liquid. “I wanna taste.”

“You can-” Chad was interrupted by Gil’s lips pressing against _his_ , and for all that Chad had mindlessly entertained the idea of kissing Gil, he never thought it’d happen like _this_. Not with the blond trying to lick the taste of Harry off of Chad, delving into his mouth and trying to chase after what lingered there until Chad was moaning – broken inside and wrecked from Gil’s enthusiasm.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Harry hissed when Gil pulled back, staring at the two of them in sort of a daze. “Fuck, Gilly.”

“Don’t worry, Harry.” Gil grinned, some of the mess lingering on his lips. “I didn’t forget about you. Come on, Kit.” He picked Harry up in one easy movement, not bothering to tuck him back into his clothes. “Let’s get Harry cleaned up in his room.”

“I don’t need your _help_ ,” Harry growled, struggling against Gil’s hold, though the blond barely noticed the efforts, content to march through the ship with Chad following on his heels until they reached a fancy looking bedroom.

“Maybe,” Gil allowed, dumping Harry onto the large bed. “But you can have it. Kit,” Gil looked over his shoulder while he effortless pinned Harry against the bed. “Could you start a bath, please? It’s right through there.” He nodded towards another door.

“Um…” Chad swallowed. “Maybe we should leave him alone, Gil.”

“Trust me, he always gets like this,” Gil offered. “But he’ll be happy when it’s over. I mean, look how tense he is now.”

“I’m only _tense_ because you’re an _idiot_ ,” Harry snarled, but he was still flushing, so Chad didn’t really know what that meant.

“Just start the bath,” Gil advised. “I’ll get this from here.”

“…Harry?” Chad asked.

“Start the _damn bath_ ,” Harry snapped, focus entirely on Gil. 

Chad took the order for what it was and retreated into a bathroom that was far fancier than anything Chad had ever seen. The ‘bath’ was more like a miniature swimming pool, and it was on a _boat_. He was careful starting it up, worried that its luxury would somehow make it something beyond Chad’s capacity to use, but there were still separate hot and cold water handles that allowed him to adjust the temperature, and there was a shelf nearby with a selection of _bath preparation accessories_ with clear directions that informed him what to do, which was what led to him adding a few different oils and a handful of _salts_ into the bath until the water gave off this pleasant floral aroma. 

He didn’t leave the room until the tub was optimally filled, using the time to try and calm himself into a more respectable form of composure. When he was sure his pulse was steady, he went back into the bedroom.

He was greeted with the sight of Harry stripped completely bare on the bed, Gil hooking one arm beneath his knees and pushing upwards until Harry’s thighs were pressed against his chest. The explorer was lost to the world, snarling and moaning because Gil was pumping his fingers _into_ Harry, making the pale nobleman _writhe_ between angry growls.

“You’re doing so good, Harry,” Gil soothed, moving his hand at a steady pace. “Uma said you’d already be loose, and it was important for me to make sure you stayed that way.”

“ _Gilly_.” Harry seemed near the end of his rope, entirely worked up, the interest between his legs pressing hard against his stomach. “Gil, I- ye shouldn’t-”

“Want to,” Gil said. “I like making you feel good. We all like making you feel good.” At that point, Gil finally registered Chad’s presence lingering in the doorway. “Hey, Kit,” he said, making Harry’s eyes fly open with a blush. “Would you like to help?”

The answer was unquestionably _yes_ , but the idea of doing that to Harry- would he even _want_ that from Chad?

“I um- probably shouldn’t,” Chad said, and were he stronger he would have averted his eyes. As it was, it took everything he had to keep his gaze fixed on Gil’s face. “I don’t think-”

“He’d like it,” Gil said brightly. “I can feel how much he’d like it right now, squeezing around me so tightly-”

“ _Gil_ ,” Harry moaned, hips bucking in protest.

“You’d like it to be Kit’s fingers, right?” Gil asked. “Stretching you out so good. Were you thinking of him earlier when you got yourself ready?”

“Shut up,” Harry groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. “Shut up, _Gil_.”

“W-what do you mean?” Chad asked, tongue feeling slow and clumsy. He could still taste Harry. “H-how did he-?”

“Just like this,” Gil chirped. “Using his own hands, though.”

“Shut up, _shut up_ ,” Harry gasped. “Shut up, _Gil_.”

“That’s no way to speak to your first mate, Harry.”

The new voice came from the entrance of the room, and it was so sudden and composed that Chad jolted in place, heart pounding in his chest as he took in the stranger leaning in Harry’s doorframe.

It was a lady – easily one of the prettiest he’d ever seen. Her hair was a mixture of teal braids that shined against the dark plains of her skin, and her smirk was almost as vicious as Harry’s on a good day, looking satisfied and put together and so comfortable in her body that Chad almost wanted to weep.

“C-Captain,” Harry groaned – and this- she must be the elusive Uma who Harry so looked up to. “Tell Gil-”

“That he’s doing a good job?” Uma strolled into the room, giving Chad a quick look over before dismissing him entirely. She kept moving until she could comb a hand through Gil’s blond locks, the nobleman staring up at her with a look of adoration. “You’re doing well, Gilly, getting him nice and loose for us.”

“Thanks.” Gil flushed. “He did half the work, though.”

“And you got him the rest of the way.” She made a show of looking Harry over, the pale nobleman swallowing down a whine at the attention, seeming frustrated at the way his hips continued to sink down onto Gil’s fingers. “Did you run a bath?”

“Kit did,” Gil informed her.

“ _Captain_ ,” Harry groaned.

“No.” Uma waved him off, throwing Chad an appreciative look. “This is what you get for trying to make birthday plans without us. You want space, you can have it, but not on your birthday.” She patted the top of Gil’s head. “Think we’re good here, baby.”

It was Harry’s _birthday?_ The nobleman hadn’t disagreed, which meant it was likely true, but still. Chad hadn’t even _known_ , hadn’t even gotten him a present and the nobleman had spent the entire day at the shop instead of doing something worthwhile. 

Granted, Chad hadn’t celebrated his own birthday since his father’s last visit, but that was because he didn’t really have anyone to celebrate _with_. Harry probably had tons of people, at the very least Mal and Gil and Ben and Uma, and Chad would have come too, if he was asked. The point was that Harry could have way more than just a picnic on a boat.

In a way, Chad was glad for Uma and Gil’s interference, because at least then Harry had gotten something good, even if he seemed to have trouble accepting it.

Chad ruminated over all of this as he followed the others into the bathroom, Gil settling a whining Harry into the steaming water, the blond pressing a loving kiss against dark hair. Harry, of course, accepted the affection with embarrassment, seeming uneasy with his bare state compared to their abundance of clothes. 

Chad was about to ask for the next step when Uma just- climbed fully dressed into the tub facing Harry, the nobleman’s whine deepening at the action, his gaze flickering to Chad with a muted sort of panic. 

“Do you need me to go?” Chad asked, aiming the question at Gil.

It was Uma who answered him. “No, you’re what makes this special,” she declared. “Gil, grab you and Kit a good seat.”

“Already on it,” Gil chirped, digging two padded folding chairs out of a towel closet. That was… a weird level of preparation, but it seemed like Gil and Uma knew what they were doing. Chad and Harry were the only two who were lost.

“Captain,” Harry gasped as a sort of fog settled over the water. “Ye don’t have to-”

“It’s your birthday, Hook,” Uma said with a roll of her eyes. “We should bring it in right, shouldn’t we?”

Chad had a difficult time explaining what happened next. The water around them shifted and pulsed, shimmering a pretty blue like Uma’s hair before… tentacles seemed to emerge from the water.

_Tentacles_.

Chad shot Gil a look just to confirm he wasn’t actually going crazy, and the other teen just gave him a proud sort of thumbs up, meaning there were actually tentacles and they were- they were Uma’s, by the look of it. Uma was a tentacle person that was- was that a thing people did? Was she like a sometimes-mermaid? Except instead of a tail she had tentacles. Maybe it was a magic thing- Mal had magic and seemed to know other magic people and even Jay had a degree of magic and maybe _that_ was it- this was just a rich noble magic thing. Chad wasn’t going to freak out about it, even if it seemed like Harry was.

Just, not in the same way. Harry didn’t seem surprised by the tentacles themselves, his concern rested more with the way they wrapped around his arms and legs, dragging him up until he hung above the water, spread wide.

“Uma,” Harry gasped as one of the tentacles slid around his waist, sliding between his cheeks, until- “ _Uma!_ ”

“That’s it,” she drawled, leaning back against the edge of the tub while the tentacles manhandled Harry. “Say my name.”

“ _Uma_ ,” he groaned, hips shifting as much as the slimy appendages would allow, one of them very much _pumping_ in and out of him. “Uma- _please._ I- _fuck_.”

“Think I don’t know your fantasies after all these years?” Uma pressed, catching her bottom lip between her teeth. “Think I didn’t know you’d go crazy at the chance for this?”

“Captain,” Harry gasped, seeming unable to finish a sentence, his face flushed and throne back with a groan. “Uma. Uma, please-”

The tentacle seemed to get thicker, replaced by another that left Harry incoherent with want, hips shifting eagerly back into it.

“Look at you,” Uma cooed, the tentacles dragging Harry closer to her, angling him so that he was titled down, his predicament more obvious. “Getting off on your boys watching you get ravished. Do you see that, Gil?” Uma asked, sparing her attention for them. “See the way it stretches him wide?”

“I see it,” Gil said, eager to please.

“And you, Kit?” Chad jolted when she addressed him. “Do you see? I mean-” She let out a low chuckle. “Of course you do. I can see how much you appreciate it by looking between your legs.”

Chad blushed madly, embarrassed at having been caught getting so- worked up. “S-sorry,” he mumbled.

“You don’t have to apologize,” she scoffed. “This is a thing of beauty. I’d be more offended if you _weren’t_ aroused.”

Oh, that was, that was good, he guessed. Very understanding of her.

She quirked a brow at him, one tentacle sliding over the edge of the tub to sort of caress Chad’s ankle. “Would you like some help with that?” she asked, the tentacle making a path up the inside of Chad’s leg.

“We um- shouldn’t.” Chad flushed at the way his pulse _jumped_ , breath coming in sharp huffs as the tentacle urged his thighs wide.

“We shouldn’t?” She asked, and despite the fact that her attention was on Chad she was still carefully taking Harry apart, who cursed and moaned all the while, gaze fixed pointedly between Chad’s legs. “And why not?” she continued, the tentacle curling against Chad’s groin, leaving a wet trail on his pants. “Think you can’t handle it?”

“N-no.” Chad shook his head, shaking against the mild stimulation, conscious of the attention fixed on him. “H-Harry really likes you,” he murmured. “I don’t um- want to get between-”

Uma cut him off with a laugh. “Oh, you’re too much,” she decided. “I can see why you keep him around, Hook.” She turned her attention to Gil. “You’ve done a great job, Gil – why don’t you pull Kit into your lap and kiss him as a reward?”

Gil perked up. “May I?”

He seemed excited by this prospect, which made part of Chad thrilled and bolstered and the other part that was nervous because if Harry didn’t want Chad to touch Uma then he _definitely_ didn’t want him to touch Gil.

“Oh, yeah,” Uma laughed. “Harry would like to see that very much.”

“Really?” Chad asked, trying not to doubt but it was _Harry_ , who was busy moaning and flexing against the hold of the tentacles.

Instead of answering, Uma swatted in Harry’s direction. “Hook, tell your boys how much you’d like to see them make out.”

“Fuckin- _Uma_ ,” Harry gasped. “Of course I’d bloody- _yes_ , go ahead and kiss. It’s not like ye didn’t almost kill me earlier.”

“I’m looking forward to that story,” Uma mused. “Now get kissing you two.”

Gil didn’t need to be told twice, happy to pull Chad into his lap so that they were facing each other. Chad flushed at the intimacy of the position even though he’d done it with both Harry and Jay before – but this was _Gil_ who was sweet and kind and had asked Chad to dance when he was all alone. Gil who was gentle when he pulled Chad close, hands firm against Chad’s hip and his jaw, who seemed just as _affected_ by the situation as Chad was – the firmness a relentless tease against Chad’s groin.

Kissing Gil was terrifyingly easy and just as addicting, the other teen was happy to let Chad set a fumbling pace, following his clumsy lead. Gil was different from Jay and Harry, who both moved with unyielding passion. No, Gil’s passion was quiet but no less intense, so much so that Chad was left trembling in his hands.

He was so lost to the sensation that he missed the tentacle curling between them until it was there, until the fabric of his pants was ripped so that the tentacle could ease him free, doing the same to Gil. 

Chad had to give up on kissing to shudder against Gil, overwhelmed by the feel of tentacle wrapped around both of them, pumping them in measured strokes that would soon have him totally lost.

“ _Gil_.” Chad clutched onto him frantically, thrown by the cold and slick but firm but _wrong_ in the best way. Gil didn’t seem much better, flush spilling across his cheeks and mouth parted in a small ‘oh’ as he gasped for air.

“Uma,” Gil whined. “Uma, it feels so good. _He_ feels so good.”

“Yeah,” Uma drawled, the tentacle around them giving a pointed _squeeze_. “I’ve got to agree with that one.”

“Uma.” Harry was thrashing against his bonds, but he seemed close to the edge. “Let them come. I wanna see them come, _please_.”

“Well,” Uma began slowly. “Since you learned to ask _nicely_.”

An intense jolt of warmth seemed to vibrate from the tentacle, rocking Chad to his core until he was falling apart against Gil, blood rushing in his ears until he could finally breathe again. 

When it was over, he was collapsed against Gil’s chest, still straddling his thighs, both their chests coated in a sticky mess. The tentacle slid away from them carefully, more focused on lowering Harry back into the tub. It seemed that he had finally come apart as well, the poor guy seeming totally spent but relaxed in a way Chad rarely saw him, content with the bruises beginning to form on his arms and legs. 

“Wow, boys,” Uma said with a slow clap of her hands. “That was even better than I expected.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Harry groaned into his shoulder. “Fuck, captain. What the hell-”

“It’s your first birthday in Auradon and you’re asking _me_ why?” Uma drawled, tentacles slowly receding beneath the water. There was another flash of color and then she climbed out of the tub fully clothed, just as pristine as she’d been the moment she’d entered the ship. “Not to critique your plan to let Kit fuck you senseless, but if anyone’s going to be seeing to your needs-” 

“Uma.”

“-Gil and I are going to be included,” she finished, talking over him. “And if you decide those needs are sexual-”

“ _Uma_ ,” Harry tried again.

“-then we will satisfy the living hell out of you whether you like it or not _and_ include your new little boy toy.”

“I like Kit,” Gil said happily, rearranging Chad in his lap so that he could curl against his chest, though that did little to hide the fact that his pants were ruined. “He’s nice.”

“Yes,” Uma said. “That’s why he got to stay.”

“Um…” Chad didn’t know if he should speak up or not, decided not to question her summation of Harry’s plan, because he was pretty sure that um- wasn’t accurate. “Thank you,” he settled on. “May I um- borrow some clothes?”

“You can have some of mine!” Gil chirped, jumping to his feet and taking Chad with him. “I’ve got this, captain. You can take care of Harry.”

“Good boy, Gil.” Uma offered him an approving smile, one she shared with Chad for some reason. “You’re dismissed.”

That was all Gil needed before he was sprinting down the hall, Chad clutching onto his shoulders and trying to process everything that had just happened, knowing he’d likely be retelling it to Jay after the fact because it was just- _bizarre_. 

But he was also pretty sure he liked it. So. That was something.

-:-:-:-:-:-

** Alternate Ending Number One **

Notes: _So I had a vague idea of Chad being taken to the castle at the end of the story for cuddles and happy endings, though I didn’t have a solid plan for how to get here. Below is take one, where Harry is the instigating factor._

_Also, I gave Chad way more animal friends in this version, though that ultimately did not carry through the rest of the story_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

By the time Chad finished cleaning up the mess in the shop the sun was way past the horizon, forcing Chad to bike home in the shadows of evening with only the moon acting as a source of light. He was past exhausted when the cottage finally came into view, though his relief dimmed the moment he registered a shadowy figure waiting on his front porch.

His apprehension plummeted into something truly sorrowful when he realized the figure was Harry - the noble armed with a scowl and an anxious sort of energy that never meant well for any intended targets.

“Did ye just get off?” Harry snapped when Chad biked close enough. “I thought ye were supposed to be off at three!”

“There was a bit of a mess at the shop,” Chad muttered. “They needed all hands on deck to clean it up.”

“All hands?” Harry asked as Chad guided his bike into the storage shed. “Or just _yours?_ I know Marius and _Lila_ left the shop at closing, just like they do every other night-”

“Harry-”

“And _just like every other night_ ,” the noble spat. “ _You’re_ the only one that stays to clean up. I mean-” He followed hot on Chad’s heals as he walked up the cottage steps, paying no mind as Chad fumbled for his keys. “Ye go in early, ye stay late, ye do more work than both of them combined and frankly, ye do _better_ work - why the hell do ye let them take advantage of you, Kit?”

“I need this job, Harry,” Chad murmured, trying to keep his voice steady even though he felt small and shaky inside. He didn’t bother trying to bar the noble from entering behind him, simply settled for turning on as few lights as possible as he made his way to the kitchen. He probably shouldn’t eat this late, but maybe he could get his breakfast ready for tomorrow, give him more time to sleep. “I owe a lot to Mr. Marius.”

“Why, ‘cuz he hired ye when ye were a kid?” Chad froze at the deduction, but Harry kept going, undeterred. “I asked around. Mrs. Blanc at the baker’s shop is real fond of ye, happy to let it slip that Marius used ye as child labor when ye couldn’t make ends meet.”

“So you see what position I’m in?” Chad said quietly, fumbling for his bread. He could make a peanut butter sandwich. Maybe half of one - save on bread, get a little dose of protein. That would hold him until lunch. “I wasn’t supposed to leave the cottage, Harry, I’m not supposed to talk to people-”

“ _Why_?” Harry pressed, relentless as he pushed into Chad’s space, almost like the first day he met him. “Why the hell are ye supposed to be a shut in? Why can’t ye watch the news? Why don’t ye have a phone? Why can’t you get on the internet? _Why_ do you keep following the rules of a man you haven’t seen in _years-?_ ”

“Because he’s my _dad_!” Chad snapped, pulling himself away from the counter before he could ruin his sandwich. “He loves me! He wants what’s best for me-”

“Then he wouldn’t want you working in that damn shop!” Harry growled back, waving his arm. “He wouldn’t want ye taken bloody advantage of, having that- prissy _thing_ tell ye you’re clumsy and incompetent every day! Ye think he’d want that?” He stepped back when he realized Chad was beginning to feel crowded, eyes glinting in the low light of the room. “With your talent ye could work anywhere. Why stick with that shop? Ye could go work for Evie. Mal would hire you in a heartbeat-”

“It’s close,” Chad mumbled, wrapping his arms around his chest as though that could urge some of the pain away. “I have to stay close in case my dad comes back.”

Harry’s brows furrowed in an open expression of pain. “Kit-”

“He’s going to come back,” Chad pressed. “I know it’s been a few years and he stopped sending money and he stopped calling but he...” Chad’s throat began to tighten, a familiar heat growing behind his eyes. “He’s _going_ to come back, Harry, he _has_ to.”

“Kit...” Harry drew closer, wrapping himself around Chad in a way he hadn’t since they’d first met, only this time instead of threat and muttered violence there was nothing but support. “...he’s not coming back, kitten. I’m sorry.”

It was everything Chad already knew but had refused to hear. Had refused to acknowledge for six long years.

He felt himself break upon against Harry’s chest, ugly sobs ripping from his throat as he collapsed into the other teen’s arms. “ _No_ ,” he cried, shaking his head even though he knew it was true. “He has to... _Harry_. He has to.”

“He’s not,” Harry whispered, petting small circles on his back. “I’m sorry, but he’s not.”

“But-” Chad squeezed his eyes shut, as though that could stop the tears from falling. “I don’t- I don’t have anything. I don’t have any paperwork, I don’t have any proof who I am. I only have my _name_ and that was what he told me, I’m-” Chad felt his breaths coming faster, more shallow. “I’m just- a plant, like you said, I’m _nobody-_ ”

“You’re Kit,” Harry murmured, lips brushing against Chad’s curls. “You’re brilliant and talented and generous and kind, and you’re cute and thoughtful and you _will not be alone_ from this second on, do ye hear me? You’re not doing this anymore.”

“But it’s all I have,” Chad sobbed, trying to steady his breathing. “It’s just this cottage, Harry, I don’t have anything else.”

“You’ve got me, kitten.” Harry squeezed him close. “You’ve got Gil and Mal and Evie and Ben. You’ve got Mrs. Blanc. And that’s a bloody lot.”

“But what if-” Chad didn’t dare finish the sentence, though he knew he had to. “...what if you leave too?”

“I’m not going _anywhere._ ” And he swore it so fervently that Chad couldn’t help but believe him. “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, kitten.”

And despite his rather terrible first impression, Chad couldn’t find himself anything but grateful, feeling safe and- loved in Harry’s arms.

It took a while for his tears to finally die down, though when they did, Harry seemed content to hold him there, nuzzling against his head.

“Come on,” he said after a few minutes. “Let’s pack you a bag.”

“Why?” Chad asked, rubbing at his cheeks.

“Cuz you’re coming _home_ , that’s why.” Harry pulled him towards the bedroom, grabbing Chad’s knapsack and placing it on the bed. “We’ll bring your mice too, don’t worry.”

“Harry-”

“It’s too cold to stay here,” the noble pressed. “I’ll have Mal call into your work tomorrow, but you’re coming _home_.”

Chad was too tired at that point to argue, simply helped Harry pack up his bag, the noble rolling his eyes when he discovered Ben’s clothes and Evie’s jacket in pristine condition, Chad too shy to consider ruining them. Harry brought those too, and tucked the mice in a shoebox Chad had used for his yarn. That did remind Chad of something.

“One last thing,” he murmured, tucked safely into the confines of Evie’s coat (that Harry had forced upon him). Chad dug under the floorboards in the corner of his room, feeling int darkness until he discovered the _secret box_ his father had hidden so many years ago. Chad was never supposed to open it, only to guard it with every fiber of his being, but if there was a chance he was leaving this place behind-

Well, it needed to come with him.

They walked to Harry’s car in silence, loading up Chad’s meager possessions with a weariness he had not felt in a long time. 

Still, he wasn’t afraid when he finally slid into the passenger seat, feeling confident with Harry beside him, even if he didn’t know where they were going. 

Wherever it was must be better than where he’d been.

-:-:-:-:-:-

** Alternate Ending Number Two **

Notes: _Before I realized Jay was a part of this story, I came up with this second ending. The lead up to this would have Harry more or less living with Chad in an effort to avoid his problems, staying the night and getting cozy, until Uma (who Chad had already met) finally put her foot down and decided to get in on that action._

_The rest is an accumulation of poly mush :)_

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad paused when he heard a second knock against the front door, shooting a look to Harry - the only person who visited him, who was already _inside_ the cottage - before turning back to his would-be intruder. 

When he finally opened the door, it was Uma there waiting for him in the darkness, leaning against his doorjamb with an unimpressed tilt. She had a bag hooked over her shoulder, and she pushed her way in without waiting for Chad, taking the modest interior in with the same expressional consideration Harry had used so many weeks before. It left Chad scrambling to close and lock the door behind her, trying to determine _why_ the noblewoman was there.

Thankfully, Uma took pity on him and explained why without forcing him to ask.

“Sorry for the intrusion,” she greeted, raking her gaze over where Harry was examining his collection of maps on Chad’s kitchen table, the nobleman unresponsive save for a challenging look. “But my second-in-command seems to be living here now, so I had to relocate.”

“I’m not _living_ here-” Harry began to grumble.

“Oh?” Uma raised an unimpressed brow. “You just have a tendency to sleep in his bed more often than your own back at the castle? And you fixed his water heater-”

“I thought you didn’t tell anyone about that,” Chad hissed, earning an annoyed look from Harry.

“He didn’t,” Uma assured him. “But Evie found out about it and told everybody.”

“I’m not _living_ here,” Harry insisted. “But it’s less of a hassle to commute from here, and Kit doesn’t mind.”

“I um- like the company,” Chad offered, which were words he _never_ thought he’d say in regards to Harry, but they were out there just the same and he didn’t regret them.

“Great,” Uma chirped, collapsing onto Chad’s secondhand couch. “Then you won’t mind having more. Don’t worry,” she added before Chad could panic. “I brought everything I need with me. I’m totally self-sufficient.” _Unlike someone else_ \- she did not say, though her accusatory look towards Harry spoke more than volumes.

Chad honestly couldn’t argue with that logic. “...okay,” he settled on, going back to his meal prep for tomorrow’s breakfast and dinner. “Bathroom’s just off the bedroom. Um.” He flushed. “I might not have a towel-”

“I brought towels,” Uma assured him, staring at Harry’s maps. “I even brought extra. Think of them as rent.”

“I don’t need-”

“ _Rent_ ,” Uma insisted, and when Uma got stubborn, it was best to agree with her than try to offer any kind of fight.

Chad sighed, then resigned himself to storing the fancy gifts with the rest of the treasures he’d accumulated since the ball, though it would be harder to ignore the towels, which were practical, whereas the cuff links were just for show and he loved their ornamental uselessness very much.

They spent the rest of the evening in relative peace, Chad working on some knitting while Uma showered and reviewed paperwork of some kind, Harry jotting down notes in his crowded journal. Chad wasn’t actually sure how to bring up the issue of bedtime, though the others seemed to decide without him, both of them getting up and motioning to the bedroom without a word at the appropriate time.

Chad lingered in the doorway, feeling distinctly awkward when he realized this was normally the point where Harry would try out a truly horrible pickup line and then Chad would laugh at him and then they’d start making out and end up in bed and _other_ things would happen, only now Uma was here and they definitely couldn’t do that.

Uma grabbed the lone, pathetic chair and angled it to face the bed, settling down on it and looking at the two of them expectantly. “This is the part where you get frisky, right?”

“ _Sorry_ ,” Chad said before he could even think about it. “Sorry. I know Harry’s yours-”

“And Harry is also _his_ ,” Uma said, not unkindly. “Which means he can decide who he does and does not want to canoodle with.” She leaned back in the chair. “My only request is that I get to watch the proceedings.”

“You want to _watch_?” Chad flushed, staring down at the floor.

“Yep, I want to see my boys in action.” Uma seemed proud of this statement, enough that Chad risked looking back up at her, saw a hint of encouragement in her eyes. She probably wasn’t messing with him. Wasn’t messing with Harry, though he did seem momentarily thrown before his chest puffed up in that familiar way of his.

“Ye want a show?” Harry asked. “I’ll _give_ ye a show.”

“Harry...” Chad began uneasily. Both good and bad things happened when Harry got that kind of tone.

This time, the nobleman turned on him with an open sort of wickedness before he pushed Chad back onto the bed, wasting no time to pull off his shirt.

“Ye got to see this,” Harry murmured as he pressed kisses against Chad’s tan skin. “So pretty and smooth - like a damn model.”

“I can see that,” Uma drawled while Harry zeroed in on Chad’s nipples, attacking the small nubs with a single-minded focus that left Chad moaning.

“Loves this,” Harry murmured against Chad’s pectoral, using his free hand to toy with the other nipple. “Get so pink and pointed, I’ve been trying to get him to play with them on his own, but no dice.”

“No you _haven’t._ ” Chad blushed hotly. He would have recognized if that had happened, right? He felt like he would have picked up that hint.

“Oh, _yes I have_ ,” Harry groaned, tongue flicking furiously against Chad’s chest. “Think ye hold off cuz ye know the moment ye actually did it I would become _useless_ , thinking of ye making yourself feel so good.”

“ _Harry_ ,” Chad groaned. He didn’t need to know Harry’s erotic thoughts towards him, that was not a thing he needed in life.

“Sides are sensitive,” Harry muttered as he dipped lower, licking the curve of Chad’s waist before sucking a hickey into shaking flesh. His hands toyed with the waistband of Chad’s pajama pants before pushing them down, leaving Chad stripped to his ratty underwear. “He’s self-conscious about his clothes - as though we’d give a damn - so I try to get rid of them as quickly as possible.”

“Thoughtful of you,” Uma noted, and Chad knew he shouldn’t look at her when Harry dragged his underwear off, but he found himself staring just the same, pulse jumping at the open hunger in her eyes.

“Look at this,” Harry murmured with utmost reverence, coaxing Chad’s legs wide so he could press kisses against his inner thighs. “Kitten’s a thing of beauty, right here.” One of his hands reached up to touch- _Chad_ \- pumping him slowly under Uma’s watchful eye. “So pretty and wet just from having his nipples played with. Do ye understand the _knowledge_ I’ve had to live with?”

“Your generosity knows no bounds,” Uma deadpanned, crossing her legs meaningfully. “You gonna put that dirty mouth of yours to use?”

Harry perked up, practically vibrating with excitement. “I’d like to, captain - if I may. Have I been good enough to get dessert?”

“I suppose you have.” Uma rose to her feet in a fluid motion, crossing towards the bed with a meaningful sway of her hips. “Kit, baby, is it okay if I hold you for this part?”

“Uh-” Chad was panting hard, sort of overwhelmed by the hungry way Uma looked at his naked body. “If - if you want.”

“I _do_ want,” she said, and then she was lifting Chad’s torso enough so she could slide behind him and let him recline against her chest. She tucked her narrow chin against his shoulder, hands settling on his hips as they both looked down at Harry. “Well?” she pressed. “You gonna get started, or what?”

Harry didn’t answer so much as _growl_ , leaning forward and swallowing Chad in one easy movement that made Chad _whine_ , ripped apart by the sudden sensation of heat and wet and Harry’s stubborn mouth. No matter how many times they’d done this, Chad still found himself getting shoved towards the edge after minimal attention, and he didn’t know how much of that was Harry’s skill or his own inexperience, but he did know that the things Uma whispered in his ear certainly weren’t helping matters. 

“He’s got a talented mouth, doesn’t he?” Uma murmured against one of the old marks on Chad’s neck, soft lips catching just under his ear. “He wants to make you feel so good, kitten. You wanna tell him what a good job he’s doing?”

Chad flushed. “I um- I don’t think-”

“What?” Uma hummed. “You don’t think he’s doing a good job?”

As though taking that to heart, Harry redoubled his efforts until Chad was a mostly incoherent mess in Uma’s arms.

Chad whined “He does- doesn’t need to- hear it from- from me-” he managed to stutter through the heat of it all.

Uma released a low sound of comprehension. “Think he needs it more from you than anyone else, kitten,” she murmured. She started rubbing circles on his hips. “Come on, let him know.”

“It- it’s good, Harry,” Chad mumbled, feeling stupid but encouraged by the shivers that overtook Harry’s frame. “You feel um- very good. Thank you.” 

“ _Thank you_ ,” Uma echoed. “So polite. You should let him come, Harry.”

“Uma,” Chad moaned, embarrassed by her candor.

“No, _Harry_ ,” she reminded him, giving his hips a squeeze. “Say his name.”

“H-Harry,” Chad gasped, everything seeming to build on itself. “Harry. Harry, I’m gonna-”

He cut off with a _mewl_ when Harry guided him over the edge- _swallowing_ everything and continue to suck and- lick at Chad until it was finally done, until he had nothing but whimpers and Harry was still going because he was relentless and wanted to drive Chad _crazy_. 

When he finally pulled away his lips were flushed and wet, from _Chad_ , and had the blond any kind of stamina that very image would have rocked him to his core once more.

“I um- should help you,” Chad mumbled, distinctly aware of his lack of clothing in comparison to the other two, who were just- looking at him.

Harry buried his face against Chad’s hip, groaning. “There’s a chance I um- don’t need help.”

“Really, Harry?” Uma laughed. “Just from _that_?”

“Ye heard the same noises I did,” Harry shot back with a huff. “‘Course I lost it. I’m only human.”

“Boys,” Uma sighed, sounding almost fond.

Chad didn’t know what to do from this point. “So um... What now?”

“ _Now_ , Harry goes and gets himself cleaned up,” Uma declared. “And I get to cuddle you in the blankets you made.”

“I usually redress him at this point,” Harry mumbled, seeming less confident now that their fooling around quota had been met for the evening.

“As captain, I’m vetoing that plan,” Uma sniffed, urging Chad off the bed. “Come on, let’s get in there.”

“But-” Chad flushed. He’d never slept naked before.

Uma wasn’t hearing it. She climbed under the blankets first, welcoming him in with open arms and an expectant expression, and how could Chad say no even if he really should? She was so pretty and feisty and she was wrapping herself around his _naked back_ and these were things Chad never expected to receive in life, only now it was right here and he didn’t even know what to do.

Harry paused in the doorway when he came back to them, taking in the sight with a look of fondness even Chad couldn’t miss before he climbed into the bed too. It was a tight fit, but Harry was determined, pulling both of them against his chest like it was his damn job. And though it was weird- it didn’t _feel_ wrong. 

It was hard to trust his judgment on these things though, because Chad knew so little, but _they_ seemed confident and that was what mattered. He would just have to trust in that certainty until it could become his own.

No biggie.

-:-:-:-:-:-

While Chad generally slept better with Harry than he ever did alone, sleeping with both Harry _and_ Uma gifted him a restfulness he hadn’t expected to see before his father’s return, so much so that he definitely overslept. The clock marked _six_ when he blinked awake. Six, as in the _time he was supposed to be at the shop_ , and Chad immediately panicked.

“Fuck,” Chad whispered, trying to crawl over Harry and free himself from Uma and horribly aware that he was naked all the same. “ _Fuck_.”

“What is it?” Harry grumbled, rubbing at his eyes. “It’s too early for this.”

“It’s not early, we’re _late_.” At least, Chad was, because this was his job. “We’ve got to go, Harry.”

“Hold on.” Harry gripped him about the waist, pinning Chad in place mid crawl so that they were facing each other, Uma blinking awake from her side of the bed. “That damn shop doesn’t open until _nine_. Between the two of us, we can finish up those morning chores of yours and get a start on your orders in good enough time that Marius won’t even notice you’re late.”

“But they’ve been giving me more to do.” At least, Lila was. “I can’t-”

“Kit.” Harry squeezed his waist before guiding him into a kiss- just, a gentle press of the lips instead of the all-consuming _passion_ that normally marked interactions with Harry. “It will be okay, just calm down. I’ll load your bike in the car and drive us there, it’ll be fine.”

“And if it isn’t, I’ll destroy them,” Uma murmured, sounding more asleep than awake.

“Thank ye, captain,” Harry grinned, giving Chad one last hug before following him out of the bed. “We’ll see ye later, alright?”

“Damn straight, you will,” Uma muttered, which was how Chad got to know this was now a regular sort of thing, which he would have been more worried about if he wasn’t _late_. 

As it was, they managed to get out the door in fifteen minutes, and Chad didn’t realize the extent of Uma’s implications until they were sliding into the shop.

There was no time to panic, but he’d do that later

It was all about scheduling your time.

-:-:-:-:-:-

This set up a pattern of sorts.

Unfortunately, it was not a pattern Chad could predict. 

Because instead of Uma greeting them when night fell the next day it was Mal striding into the cottage like she owned the joint, a satchel hooked on one shoulder and two bags of food in her hands that she more or less forced upon them until they relented to a more filling dinner, Mal picking out one of Chad’s old videos to watch and the three of them getting absorbed in the narrative as they cuddled on the couch. 

When they got to the bedroom Chad had what could be labeled as a very understandable freakout because Mal was going to be _queen_ , she was engaged to the _king_ and she couldn’t just sit and watch them- _do things._ Firstly, why would she even want to and secondly, that was sort of cheating, wasn’t it? Only Mal assured him that Ben had given her permission and stayed respectfully across the room while she coached Chad through returning the favor Harry had given him yesterday, which left the nobleman a delightful flushing mess that made Chad want to fall apart very quickly.

This time, it was _Harry_ that slept naked, and Chad had to admit, they were on to some things.

The next evening brought Gil into the cottage - Gil with his exuberance in helping Harry plan their trip and cuddling Chad while he knitted and being generally doting and loving and all the things Chad never thought he’d get. That night when they went into the bedroom, Harry ‘let’ Gil take Chad into his lap so they could make out for a while, until Harry got impatient and starting nipping at Gil’s neck from behind, shoving his hand between the two blonds until he could free and stroke their interests until they were hopeless, panting messes. 

As one, Chad and Gil decided to return the favor, which led to a lot of cursed moans from Harry.

It was the third day that sort of brought things to a halt.

Because on the third day _King Ben_ was at the door. 

Chad managed to hold his composure until the king was in the shower, and then found himself pacing outside near the garden, hoping for a wayward creature to start calling for his help so he could have an excuse not to go back inside. Or maybe just live in the backyard, he could totally live in the backyard. That was an option.

Harry gave him five minutes of senseless panic before he meandered up to the edge of the garden, watching Chad’s winding path with confused eyes. “What’s the problem?”

“We can’t fool around tonight,” was the only reply Chad could manage, because it was the only conclusion he could arrive at without wanting to tear at his skin. “I’m off tomorrow, so we can just- watch movies on the couch until we all pass out.”

This was stupid, he was overreacting for nothing. It wasn’t like King Ben would want to watch _them_ doing stuff. Intimate stuff. Mal was probably open to it because she was from the Isle, but Ben was a king with dignity and- Chad didn’t know - _refinement_. This stuff was beneath him. This _cottage_ was beneath him. Why was he in Chad’s cottage?

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m missing something,” he declared, looking like he desperately wished for Uma’s presence. “And _why_ , exactly, can we not fool around tonight? Wait-” He held up a hand before Chad could reply. “Obviously it has to do with Ben. So why does Ben’s presence change anything?”

“Because he’s the _king_.” Chad didn’t know how else to explain this. “And you might not have noticed, but I’m an _actual_ pauper.” That was a joke because there was no way Harry could have missed that by now with Chad’s minimal furnishings and his efforts to budget and stretch every little thing he had. “I can’t _make_ the king watch-” Chad couldn’t even finish the sentence. “I mean, realistically he’s not going to want to and I’m freaking out over nothing. I just wanted to put that out there.”

“What the- _of course_ he wants to be involved,” Harry drawled, looking annoyed. “Why else would he be here?”

“For the _novelty_?” Chad didn’t actually know. “Maybe he wants to figure out who his fiancé felt like watching, I don’t know.”

“How can ye be this stupid?” Harry muttered, mostly under his breath, but Chad heard it all the same.

He felt his face heat with a familiar wave of discomfort. “I don’t know, maybe it’s just a _gift_.”

Harry scowled. “Don’t twist my words.”

“You literally just called me stupid,” Chad snapped back. He felt defensive and raw and dumb all at the same time, and he sort of missed yesterday when everything seemed so much easier.

“Okay,” Harry managed through clenched teeth. “You’re right, I did, but that’s because you’re getting worked up over nothing. This is the same as yesterday, or the day before.”

“Not it’s _not_ ,” Chad snapped. “Gil isn’t the _king of Auradon_ , Harry. He doesn’t have the public scrutinizing his every moment, including who he wastes time with-”

“Kinda gettin’ annoyed about this ‘waste’ business,” Harry growled. “No one’s forcing Ben to be here. For whatever reason, he _wanted_ to be with us, though for the life of me I can’t determine _why_.”

Harry’s words hit him so hard Chad could feel himself physically rock back, hand pressed against his chest as though that could mitigate the pain beginning to pulsate like a festering wound, only Harry didn’t tell Chad anything he didn’t know.

Because at the end of the day Chad was nothing to them - just a mindless nobody in a sea of thousands - and they were the movers and shakers that molded the kingdom into something better, who ruled it and reformed it and planned to explore it, to act as ambassadors, to solve problems and smooth over rough edges.

And Chad created flimsily made dress jackets while he seemed to jog in place, waiting for his dad to come back.

Immediately, Harry’s expression shifted into one of apology, but it was too late. The truth was already out. “Kit...”

“Why don’t you guys take my room tonight,” Chad murmured, throat feeling uncomfortably tight. “And I’ll take my dad’s room. I’ve um- got to leave early to run errands so I might not be here when you wake up-”

“Kit-”

“But you can show yourself out,” Chad finished stepping away from Harry’s reaching hands. “T-thank you for the talk, Harry.” It was an informative one. “And goodnight.” 

He shouldered past the nobleman before he could lose his nerve, walking quickly through the small cottage until he could lock himself in the room he cleaned once a week but otherwise never touched. 

His father’s room used to be a source of comfort for Chad, a place for him to hide when the thunderstorms got too loud, when the snow piled too high. 

Now, it was a nest of mockery, because it seemed like no matter how dutiful a son Chad was, his father still wouldn’t return.

In the back of his mind, part of him acknowledged that he never might.

Chad tried to pretend that was what had him crying into his knees, curled up in a small ball between his father’s imposing dresser and the wall, waiting for relief to find him. 

It didn’t.

-:-:-:-:-:-

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he heard the lock on the door begin to click and twist, which confused Chad enough to make him look up and squint through the darkness. He did this just in time to see the door swing open to reveal Mal huddled in a crouch, two thin tools clutched in her hands as she stared through the gloom with shining green eyes. Relief seemed to flood her features when she caught sight of him, and she instantly cut across the room to his side, shoving herself into the small space so she could wrap around him.

“I don’t know why we leave you alone with him,” she muttered, pressing a kiss against Chad’s shoulder. “He can be so emotionally incompetent sometimes it is _mind boggling_.”

Chad swallowed to try and clear his throat, attempting to find some semblance of order within himself and acknowledge the fact that _Mal_ was there. “It’s okay-”

“No, it’s not,” she countered immediately. “And _he_ knows it’s not okay too. Bottom line, he fucked up, but we all sort of fucked up so now we’re here to un-fuck the situation.”

Chad felt a hysterical giggle building in his chest, a sort of mild amazement at Mal’s repeated abuse of the word ‘fuck’. “I’m sorry that I made him upset,” Chad offered instead. “He’s right. This was just more ‘benefits’ stuff-”

“See,” Mal interrupted. “That is but one of the places we fucked up. So...” She rested her head against his curls. “Will you please come out to the living room?”

At this point, it didn’t seem like Chad had much choice. “...okay,” he whispered, wishing he sounded more sure. “Is um- is Harry still mad?”

“At himself, yes.” Mal squeezed out of the space carefully, offering Chad a petite hand and pulling him to his feet with deceptive strength. “At you, no.”

That was- good, Chad guessed.

He followed the queen-to-be back into the living room, where it seemed _everyone_ had accumulated during his breakdown in the bedroom. Uma was standing next to Ben, one hand on his arm as though to ground him, and Gil had Harry cuddled in his lap on the couch, though the nobleman seemed reluctant to accept his affection. They all lit up the moment they caught sight of Chad - who huddled behind Mal like the brave human he was.

“Everyone take a seat,” Mal ordered, nudging Chad into the sad replacement of an armchair he’d gotten to replace the nice one that had belonged to his father. She settled into his lap without question, Uma urging Ben between herself and Gil on the couch. “So,” she began when everyone was in place. “Ben was right.”

“Big surprise,” Uma muttered.

Mal waved her off. “Kit,” she explained carefully. “We’ve been trying to build something up here organically, but without, you know, _explicitly_ stating what we wanted, we allowed for some less savory things to form. Like doubts. So.” She cupped his face between her hands, tilting their foreheads together. “Kit, we like you a lot. We are attracted to you and would like to be in a relationship with you, and before you ask ‘with who?’, the answer is all of us.”

“And before you ask what _kind_ of a relationship,” Uma spoke up. “We want a romantic one. A polygamous one.”

Panic spiked in Chad’s chest. “You want-” His gaze flickered to each of them who just- stared at him back. “You each want to date me?”

“We’re already committed to each other,” King Ben explained. “We want to add you to that.”

Chad wanted to ask _why_ , but then they would tell him, and they would be so stubbornly determined about it too. So beautifully well-spoken and passionate and Chad couldn’t take the thought of it.

“I can’t,” he whispered, feeling the sting of tears build behind his eyes. “I _can’t_ , I’m sorry.”

“Why?” Mal wasn’t accusatory when she asked it, the question was genuine when she wouldn’t let him turn away. “Tell us, Kit.”

“I’m not...” Chad squeezed his eyes shut, overwhelmed with shame. 

“You’re good enough,” Harry snapped, crawling out of Gil’s lap to perch on the arm of Chad’s chair, wrapping himself around the parts of Chad Mal hadn’t already claimed.

“No, I’m _not_ ,” Chad hissed, his breath coming in ragged heaves. “If I was- if I was good my dad would-” He pressed his lips together, trying to find that calm center his dad had coached him into so long ago and finding nothing, because Chad was useless.

“Kit.” Ben’s voice was gentle and so much closer - all of them were, Uma, Gil, and Ben huddled around the chair so they could all see Chad. “...when was the last time you saw your father?”

Chad shuddered, burying his face against Mal’s thin shoulder. “...S-six years ago.”

“Mother _fucker_ ,” Mal hissed, squeezing him tight. “That piece of shit.”

“No.” Chad shook his head. “He was good and kind but he just- he _stopped_ coming back and I don’t know why. I just tried to follow his rules but I couldn’t even do that because I ran out of money and-” he broke off with another sob, thoroughly hating himself. If he’d been better, maybe his father would have come back. If he’d been better, maybe he wouldn’t have needed the rules in the first place.

“That wasn’t your fault,” Uma said gently, squeezing Chad’s knee. “You did your best, Kit.”

“And you even stayed here for him,” Gil added, voice soft.

“Kit.” Ben’s expression was so- serious, so _firm_ it made Chad shake. “There’s... there’s a chance that your dad might not be alive anymore.”

It was something Chad had always known, but the mere prospect of it had him sobbing.

“We can worry about that later,” Mal soothed stroking his curls. “That’s a _later_ problem, but Kit-” She cradled his hands between hers. “We care about you a lot, because you’re hardworking and kind and generous even when you have very little. Because animals love you and because your first move at a ball was to teach the guy who stomped all over your feet how to dance even though you didn’t really know what you were doing.”

“You’re feisty,” Harry murmured. “And sweet.”

“And you don’t make me feel dumb,” Gil added. “You make me feel special.”

Uma grinned “You treat us like royalty, but you’re not afraid to call us out if we slip up.”

“Unless it’s Ben,” Harry muttered.

Chad could feel himself flush, but Ben was laughing. “You’re brave,” he offered simply. “Even when you have every reason to be afraid.”

“No, I’m not,” Chad sniffed. “I climbed down a drainpipe three stories just so I could avoid Harry.”

“Was _that_ how you escaped?” Mal asked, eyes widening in realization. “On _that_ ankle? Kit, you could have died.”

“See?” Chad scrubbed at his cheeks. “That’s how big a coward I am.”

“But you’re brave for other people,” Ben pressed. “You stepped up for Gil. You helped out with budgeting reforms which is distinctly outside your comfort zone to help some Isle kids. Kit-” Ben smiled that brilliant, heartwarming grin. “You’re the full package, and we don’t care _where_ you come from or what you’ve been doing - we want you. The question is, do _you_ want us?”

“That’s the only question,” Uma warned. “The only one that matters.”

“ _Yes_ ,” Chad gasped, knowing he shouldn’t but they’d asked and he was only human. “Yes, I do. _One_ of you is more than I could ever hope for, and the idea of-” He swallowed. “It’s a lot to wrap my head around.”

“Well, start acclimating,” Mal crowed. “Because you’re ours now, I have decided.”

“Officially, you’ll be Gil’s,” Uma added. “Since the public has decided to pair me with Harry.”

“...because you love each other,” Chad pointed out, and it was kind of sweet how both of them just rolled their eyes in an expression of fondness.

“I promise I’ll be a good boyfriend,” Gil chirped, resting his head on Chad’s knee. “I have been practicing really hard.”

“And once the public’s more open to polygamy, we’ll rally them behind us,” Mal said. “But in private, we all belong to each other, got it?”

“Yeah.” Chad nodded weakly, still trying to comprehend this as _his_.

“To commemorate our adventure, why don’t we go home?” Ben asked, clever fingers brushing against Chad’s cheek. “I think it’s time you stopped waiting, Kit.”

Chad couldn’t deny it. “Yeah, you’re right.” Just saying it made him feel lighter, made the future seem more attainable. “I’m- I’m ready to move on.”

“Good,” Harry murmured. “Cuz we’ve been waiting for ye to come home for a while.”

And strangely enough, Chad didn’t doubt that. It was almost like something he had always known but refused to acknowledge just on the cusp of his awareness. And now that it was free, now that it was _his_ , he welcomed it with open arms, no longer shrinking into the shadows.

He had a life to start living.

And _damnit_ , he wasn’t going to hold himself back anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was all she wrote :)
> 
> Until next time


End file.
